


I want a puppy

by Jeb



Series: IWAP [1]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: CHAPTER FIVE IS REALLY FING LONG, F/M, Fluff, SO IS CHAPTER EIGHT I AM SO SORRY, no longer a one shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-29
Updated: 2016-01-10
Packaged: 2018-05-10 02:54:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 74,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5568055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jeb/pseuds/Jeb
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sans realizes he's in love</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. "I want a dog"

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry

As the wind sent your hair flying into your face, you were struck with two things. One was your hair, and the other was a thought that tore into your mind with such a ferocity, you had to voice it. Inhaling a little bit, you announced to the world, "I want a dog." Your back, which was firmly planted on the grass before the thought hit you, curled slightly as you sat up. Your skeletal companion opened one eye to look up at you, his arms still tucked underneath his head. 

"I want a dog," You announced again, your neutral expression shifting into one of uncontrollable delight. Different breeds ran through your mind, and with them, names yipped and yelped. But only one name with each breed, not the colorful variety that spun when you had adopted your first pet, a rock named Sam. No, each breed was special, each one had one specific name that it _had_ to be named if you got that breed. You turned your head towards your friend, your hair whipping slightly from both the action and the breeze that caressed your bare cheeks. "I want a dog," Your smile became a toothy one as you flashed your teeth down at Sans, who had opened his other eye to stare at you in what you could only describe as a gaze full of 'What the fuck?'. 

He grunted softly, "*yeah, yeah, i getcha kidd-", you cut him off swiftly, leaning closer to him as you did. "No, Sans, I don't think you understand," you breathed in, that sharp intake of chilly air filling you unpleasantly for a moment. " _I want a dog_." By the time this proclamation had wandered carelessly out of your lips, you were nearly touching his forehead with yours. Once you noticed this, your face flushed a bright red and you pulled away slightly, trying to gather your thoughts as they came. You wanted him to know why you were so excited, but nothing came. 

Finally, you moved yourself so you were far enough from Sans, your arms flailing as if you were trying to catch the thoughts before they escaped. Your heart thumped wildly, you weren't much of a dog fan, but right now, you were a helluva dog fan. Probably more than just a fan, with how happy you were getting. While you tried to grasp at imaginary words and ideas that were fleeting, Sans was regarding you carefully. Had you lost it? Probably. 

"Sans, I want a dog," You took one more large inhale, finally pushing out what finally got you so excited, "but I need to find out what breed, because that will help me with the name." His right eyebone rose considerably at that statement, but he let you continue. "Give me a breed of dog, Sans. I know I sound silly, but trust me on this." 

He watched you for a moment, regarding that bead of sweat on your forehead, that subtle lick of the lips you probably weren't aware of, those eager eyes staring down at him. Finally, he settled back down on the grass, where he had lifted slightly after you pulled away from him. Closing his eyes in a way that only magical skeleton men can, Sans offered, "Golden Retriever." 

Oh, he'd done it now. He'd really done it. You were practically bursting with how excited you were, your body almost vibrating. This one was your favorite of the ones that had come to you, "I'm going to name it Telephone. It'll be my _Golden Receiver_." His just shit eyelids shot open, pupils brightening to study you. You hated his puns. You were almost as bad as Papyrus when you complained about them. You hated _his_ puns, and here _you_ were making some? The nerve. "*terrier." He quipped none-too-gently. Your smile only grew, something either of you thought was even possible. 

Your laughter rang in the air, the unexpected kind that was ugly and uncontrolled. Coming from you, it was unbelievably charming. You snorted and guffawed, hand pressing against your lips as you tried to stifle your giggles and compose yourself. Sans watched you, his own smile tweaking at the edges as it strained to grow wider. You fell on your back, convulsing as you tried, and failed, to control yourself. Finally, with tears in your eyes and a smile that made him want to hug you, you asked, "What breed? Because if-" You broke off to laugh, and he decided to let you laugh instead of answer your new question. "--if we're not specific here, I'd say that I'll name it Halloween," He braced himself for the punchline. You finally calmed yourself down enough to finish, "they'll be _terrier-fying_!" 

His own laughter started with a snort, and quickly grew. It blazed from within like a deep fire, causing others in the park to look at you both with muted disgust and hardly concealed grimaces. Your hand traveled along the grass to grasp at his, which you squeezed heartily once you laced your fingers through his. Honestly, you were trying to find something solid to hold onto while you tried ineffectively to calm yourself down, even just a tiny bit would have helped ease the burning that was stitching at your sides. "But if it's a Yorkshire Terrier you're thinking of," Sans turned onto his side, his laughter having subsided so he could hear the punchline to this one. "I think I'll name it _New_." 

It wasn't the best one he'd heard from you, but it sent you howling. You slid around on the grass as you fought a losing battle to contain yourself. Your hand momentarily slipped from his, but he was quick to grasp at it. Tears were pouring down your cheeks, the wetness inviting uprooted grass to glue to your cheeks whenever you moved to your side. If you had opened your eyes, you would have seen how not only did his pixel-pupils dilate to blue hearts, but also how his face was washed in a similar blue color, spreading from his cheekbones to where his ears would have been if he had any. 

"*you should get a poodle and name it _Sham_." That sent you into another fit of giggles, which you weren't prepared for because you hadn't even recovered from the last laugh attack. "*how about a Lab named _Magic_? it can be your _labracadabrador_." At this, you turned towards him, definitely noticing how much closer he had gotten to you. You pressed your free hand to his chest, begging him to stop as fluid leaked from your eyes onto the grass. He prepared another one, but waited until you finally caught your breath, which took a few minutes. 

The two of you sent dog-related puns back and forth, both annoying those who had stumbled close enough to hear them, and causing a few laughs aside from your own. By the time the sun had dipped below the horizon, it had been over four hours passed when you first let your need for a dog be known to the world. You were sure that you would wake up with a twelve-pack of abs, and Sans was sure that he had fallen for you, and hard. You were sure there was more than a few bugs crawling around in your hair, and the air had begun to sting at your available skin harshly, and so it was with both sadness and relief that the two of you decided to head home. 

Using the hand which you still held, Sans hoisted you to your feet, his arm wrapping around your waist to steady you in your deliriously happy state, and lingered there for a few heartbeats longer than what would have been considered friendly. In your almost drunken haze, you didn't even register it as being him, simply recognizing the fact that _you were almost literally drunk on happiness_. You were sober enough, however, to hear him calling your name. "*you should get a Dachshund and name it Chili. it could be your Chili Dog." 

You bumped your hip against him, "Silly, that could work for any breed!" Nonetheless, you smiled warmly, one that sent prickles up his spine and had him shivering. You laughed briefly, "If we're going to tell bad dog jokes, wanna hear one more?" Sans nodded, hoping to hear more of your laugh. You obliged him, grinning as you did so. "How about a Rottweiler named _Pumpkin_? You know, because _pumpkins Rottweiler wait_?" Seeing his more-than-a-little confused gaze rest on you, you tossed your head back and let out another small chortle. "Like I said, bad. Pumpkins rot-while-ya-wait." 

He stared at you for a harsh moment, but your laugh didn't tangle into one made out of nervous anxiety. Instead, it morphed into something akin to delight. Your pun was so bad, even the bad comedian was stumped. Finally, after a long minute, Sans began to chuckle, shaking his head as he did. "*that was so bad. you know how bad that was? so bad." You leaned against him, forcing his pupils to dilate into hearts once more as he felt you press against him. "I know," You sighed softly, shaking as a cold gust of wind pushed passed the two of you. 

Seeing you shudder, Sans thrust your joined hands into his jacket pocket. You released your grip on him, flexing your fingers in the warm and fluffy space, before lacing them together again. You weren't interested in Sans that way, and you held hands with Papyrus all the time, so you didn't think of it as anything but a friendly gesture. To him, though, it was everything. He wasn't big on contact, or anything that required effort, but after that stunt in the park? He was willing to try with you. 

Your apartment, flanked by Undyne's and a well known Monster hater on either side, came to view. You sighed at the sight, it was nice to be almost home, but you were having a lot of fun with Sans. What had started off as an impromptu walk had developed into the ab workout of the century, and you weren't looking forward to ending it. Plus, you dreaded knowing you had to wake up at some point tomorrow, and even imaging the soreness was enough to make your core clench. You looked over at Sans, who you were surprised to find was already looking up at you. 

"*hey," You both stopped at the road that separated the sidewalk you were currently on and the one that connected to your house. As your legs stopped, so did he. You waited for the last few cars to pass, and the pedestrian light signaling the okay to walk to turn back on. Once the two of you had made it passed the crosswalk, and had turned towards your house, Sans began to speak up again. "* _i'll be_ -" He waited again, this time only for a few seconds. The two of you stopped at the door to your house, when he finally finished, "-- _Shiba Inu later_." 

Sans was gone in a flash, the fresh smell of burnt ozone filling the air and making you cringe none-too-softly. Your hand slid to your side from where it had been resting in Sans coat pocket after being briefly suspended in air after he had left. You stared at the space he had so hastily vacated for a full minute, and then a few seconds more. Your lips were pursed in an unheard "Oh". As you turned towards your door, your mind tried to wrap around what could perhaps be the best pun you had heard all evening. And there were a lot of puns. 

You unlocked the front door, kicking it closed when you were safely inside. You locked the door thoughtlessly, tossing your phone over to the couch when you had made it to the living room. It was only when you sat down that you fully realized what this meant: You not only liked puns, but you had engaged in a full on pun-battle with Sans for hours. Your voice bubbled beyond your lips, distorting into pained laughter as you clutched at your side, preparing for the onslaught of laughter that was no doubt to come as you went through all the puns you could remember, which actually was a majority, if not all of them. You couldn't remember the ones you were forgetting, so you weren't sure if there were any. Finally, your mind stopped at that final statement Sans had left you, that final joke that no one but you could have found funny. 

And you let out the loudest, grossest, most gut-clenching, side-wrenching guffaw that you'd ever heard.


	2. I really want a dog

You were right to dread waking up today, a fact you knew after you had dragged yourself from the couch to your bed last night, and a fact you were feeling now. Like an unforgiving bullet, pain shot through your abdomen, effectively stopping your writhing. The pain returned with every movement, and that included every breath of air that left you, and ever inhale that you eventually needed. 

You held your breath for as long as you could, fingers tangling in your covers. Your phone buzzed beside your head, and you ignored it for several minutes. It buzzed constantly, the routine timing spaced between each series of vibrations let you know exactly who it was, and what they were trying to convey. One of your closest friends, Papyrus (The Great) had a system for when he texted. He always sent no less than twelve texts each time, and he spaced them according to what he was trying to say. If the time between texts was small, it was idle chit chat. If it was lengthy, he was sharing news, which meant long and frantic paragraphs, which he gave himself time to execute. 

You had seen him wait a full minute before sending a text before, because of this little system he had. You waited for the buzzing to cease, which it did at sixteen buzzes, before sighing. Your hands gathered at your waist, sliding up to your sides gently. You hummed softly as you caressed your tender muscles, your cool fingers dancing along the aching skin before kneading at the spots that needed the massage the most. You winced as you found a particularly pained section on your left side, moving your other hand over so both your hands could work on easing it. 

The pain dully subsided for now, you reached up and took a hold of your phone. Tapping it on, you were not surprised to see your lock screen filled with messages from THE GREAT AND MAGNIFICENT PAPYRUS. You flicked your finger up, surveying over the long list of messages. 

**-HUMAN-**

**-HUMAN ARE YOU UP-**

**-IT IS I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS-**

**-DO YOU REQUIRE ASSISTANCE TODAY-**

**-OR MAYBE SPAGHETTI-** You smiled fondly at your phone, continuing down the list of messages. 

**-I HAVE PLENTY OF SPAGHETTI BUT I CAN MAKE MORE-**

**-MY BEST FRIEND DESERVES ONLY THE BEST AND THAT IS ME-**

**-THE GREAT PAPYRUS-**

**-MY SPAGHETTI IS ALSO THE BEST-**

**-SANS AND I ARE COMING OVER TODAY HUMAN-**

Before you could continue, a series of knocks sounded outside your door. Your bedroom door. Only slightly puzzled, you shrugged it off, some of your friends had keys to your house, and called out, "Oh, what lovely knocks! Maybe if I'm quiet, I could hear them again?" You smiled as the thumps began again; three confident taps, two uncertain, and finally, one very hesitant. You grabbed at the covers that pooled around your body and tossed them aside, your breaths running a little ragged as you sat up. Tossing your phone behind you and clutching at your sides, you wandered over to your door. 

"Ah, how lovely indeed," You teased, grinning as you did. "Maybe I will hear them again?" And again you did. Satisfied that you had played enough, you released the grip you had on one side to open the door. Swinging the barrier to the side, you revealed yourself to the monster on the other side. Napstablook peered up at you for a moment before floating up so you two were at eye level. 

"Oh, hey," He murmured your name cautiously, maintaining eye contact as he did. You knew he was doing that so he could contain the temptation to look behind you, where his favorite thing in the world sat. "Uh, it's me, uh..Napstablook." You smiled and stepped aside, welcoming him into your room as one would welcome someone into their home. You watched as he soared passed you slowly, inching into your bedroom while keeping his gaze on you. "Hey, Blooky!" You cheerily called out, startling him. You laughed an apology, waving him further inside. 

No longer able to resist, the ghost openly gawked at his favorite object that you had in your home, perhaps his favorite object in the world. The mannequin you had salvaged from a failing store was unique as your friend was. Neither feminine nor masculine, it stood tall, almost taller than you. The last time Napstablook had possessed it, he had adorned it in ravishing garments that were distinctly him, from the black beanie atop its hairless head to the vans glamoured with music notes on its feet and everything in between. You gave permission, and your ghostly friend rushed over to it. 

"Do you think you'll be able to become fully corporeal today?" You asked, a fond smile gracing your lips as he dove in. He came out for a moment, a genuine grin plastered on his face, the one he always had when he saw his soon-to-be body, and nodded. "My..uh..My cousin told me a secret," You nodded for him to continue, and so he did. "He told me, uh, what he did to, um...Become corporeal. I think I can do it! Uh..Hopefully," 

You crossed the short distance to the casually dressed mannequin, looping your arms around its form briefly. "I know you can do it," You whispered into the ear closest to you. Napstablook zipped inside with a flushed expression, and the form began to float a few inches off the ground. The arms awkwardly maneuvered around you the best the stiff limbs could, and you held the embrace a moment longer. Finally pulling away, you observed his body. Where before it was just an object to display non-gender specific clothing, it came to life, literally, with him in it. 

Unlike Mettaton's form, this one had a limited range of movement, unable to blink or move its lips, and it could hardly move its limbs. You knew Napstablook was making appointments with the very talented Alphys, who you had yet to meet aside from glances at your neighbors yard, and they were working hard on fixing that while maintaining the form it had currently. You silently wished the two luck. 

Hobbling over to your bed, you were just about to lay back down when Napstablook's fleeting form paused momentarily at the door. "Oh, uh, there are some skeletons at the door. I think they're, um, Papyrus and Sans? Uh, they were arriving just as I..came in, I only heard their voices and saw some, um, bones? Sorry for not telling you earlier," He mumbled before hastily walking away. You sighed, collapsing on the bed. Your abdomen hurt so bad, you were really hoping you could rest a bit before the brothers arrived, but it was not to be. 

Slowly rising from your mattress, you made your way over to the hallway. From where you stood, you could see Papyrus staring in the window that sat above your door. You shook your head, chuckling as you did. A sharp intake of breath and an uncomfortably pained cough reminded you that _no, laughing was BAD_ and you began to make your way down the steps leading to your living room. It took a lot of effort, and wasted several minutes, but you were finally there. 

Thank the stars that you didn't have work today. If you couldn't handle walking down stairs, you certainly couldn't handle working. You looked into your living room for a moment, making sure there wasn't any loose clothing articles strewn about, before pulling the door open. 

You could practically feel your vocal chords rip as you let out a loud grunt of displeasure. Papyrus was embracing you fondly, which meant not at all gently, hoisting you up into the air. His arms were thrown around your waist, forcing your abdomen to cry out unhappily. Tears glassed up your eyes almost instantly, which you held back, as Papyrus swung you around joyfully. "HUMAN! IT IS I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS!"

You carefully placed a hand on the tall skeletons' shoulder, pulling away from him slightly as you did. "Hey, Paps," You wheezed out, your teeth clenched. You begged him to put you down through your teeth, wincing as he nearly dropped you the three feet he had lifted you. You bowled over, hands automatically grasping at your stomach once you landed. You let out a series of unflattering gasps, reassuring Papyrus that you were fine once you caught your breath in between the lack of air. After a minute, you rose to your full height, peering up at the spaghetti-loving skeleton. 

"Come on in," You shuffled off to the side, watching as Papyrus ducked into your doorway, the crown of his skull scraping against the top. He called out for his brother, who walked in a few second later, carrying what looked like at least ten pounds of spaghetti noodles. Sans nodded to you before following Papyrus to your kitchen. A very shocked gasp could be heard from inside, and you kept the door open as a very startled mannequin dashed through it. 

You called out a goodbye to your friend, who did the same before rounding the corner away from your home, and shut the door. Turning towards where the skeletons had gone, you clutched at your stomach and stumbled over to them. The first thing you noticed when you entered your medium-sized kitchen was Papyrus turning on every stove, preparing to make what you could only assume to be spaghetti. When all four stove tops were beginning to glow a foreboding red, he began to rush to where you kept your pots, throwing the cabinet open and searching through your large assortment. You were well stocked, something you had to be as Papyrus had a habit of overcooking the spaghetti and ruining the kitchenware. 

You sauntered over to where Sans stood, leaning against the counter next to him. You smiled up at him, "So, last night was a _lot of pun_ , huh?" Before either of you could do anything about what you had just said, a loud shriek emitted from the cabinet, as well as a thump that made you want to rub at your head after Papyrus bumped his. Unfazed, the taller skeleton pulled his skull from the cabinet he had been rummaging through. "NO. NO NO NO. HUMAN, SANS, NO." Papyrus glared at the two of you, his smile gone, and an overbearing grimace taking its place. "SANS!" He pointed to his brother, who lifted his hands in a shrug. "YOU HAVE BEEN SPENDING TOO MUCH TIME WITH THE HUMAN! STOP RUBBING OFF ON THEM!" 

You giggled, placing one of your hands in Sans', which was still suspended in a shrug. Pulling it down to your side, you cooed, "We can't, we're fused together now, see?" You lifted your joined hands, wiggling your fingers at Papyrus, who groaned. "Two pun-masters, just doing pun-master things." You tried to come up with a joke to mingle with what you were saying, when Sans offered it for you. 

"*you want me to stop hanging with the human, bro'?" Papyrus nodded eagerly, pointing to the door out as he did. Sans glanced down at you, his grin widening as he did. "*well, human, i'm going to make you an of _fur_ you can't _woof_ use." It was more of a joke for you than one to irritate Papyrus and you knew it. Nonetheless, it sent a groan hurdling out of the taller skeleton's li-er..teeth. You moved closer to Sans, your smile widening as you did. The dull ache in your abdomen was unbearable present at this time, your laughter not having fully died down, but you chose to ignore it. He leaned in close to you, preparing to tell you something you felt was important. You shuddered at the closeness, you weren't sure why though, when he moved away suddenly. 

With a playful shrug, your hands still joined, Sans laughed, "*whoops. forgot it." In all honesty, he wanted to ask you on a date, or at the very least another walk to the park to share a few more laughs, but he'd _lost his nerve_. 

"HUMAN!" Papyrus had dutifully begun to ignore the two of you once Sans had turned away from him to get closer to you, and was filling a pot with water. "DO YOU HAVE ANY GLUE?" You stifled a laugh as you pulled away from Sans, your joint hands splitting apart, much to the displeasure of your partner in crime. You walked over to chastise Papyrus, who assured you that he didn't want to put the glue in the spaghetti. 

Casting a glance over at Sans, who was watching you closely, you pressed a palm to your sore stomach to prepare for the laughs that were bound to come. "Hey, Pap, I was thinking about getting a dog.."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You ever look at a word so long and then it's just not even a real word anymore?  
> Yeah.  
> 'Nerve' is doing that for me right now


	3. No, seriously. I'm getting a dog.

The next morning, you were very surprised to hear a series of shrieks and yelps instead of the loud knocking you were accustomed to. Your abdomen had healed up quite a bit over the last twenty four hours, no thanks to Sans or his onslaught of bad jokes, and so you almost effortlessly turned to your side to peer at the calendar that hung above your dresser. You knew you had forgotten to dash out the date yesterday, so by process of elimination, you acknowledged that it was Sunday. That made the screams even weirder than they had been already. 

Lifting yourself from your comfortable bed, you wandered over to the window that overlooked your front yard. Tossing aside the curtains and raising the blinds, you searched for the source of the noise. Now almost fully awake, you could not only make out who's voice it was that had woken you, but also what they were saying. "Y-You..Freak! I swear, when I get my hands on you! AAAAGH! FIGHT ME!" The fish monster you had so fondly come to know as Undyne snapped at your other neighbor, who was glaring at her from the safe confines of his home, partially blocked by the tall fence he had put up so he didn't have to look at her. 

You separated yourself from the view, trotting out of your bedroom and down the stairs. The movement jostled your still-sore muscles considerably, but at the moment, that didn't matter. You threw open your front door, stepping out onto the elevated step and closing the door behind you, flicking the lock before it shut. Undyne was still yelling harsh words over at your neighbor, and you flinched when the odd curse was thrown in. You were no stranger to those kinds of words, using them frequently yourself, but never had they been uttered with so much malice. Or, at least, not around you had they been spoken with that much hatred. Your neighbor, however, appeared unfazed. 

Sunday, huh? This type of thing didn't usually occur until at least Tuesday, never surpassing Thursday. This must be serious. You looked to your left, where a seething Undyne appeared to be letting her anger loose in the form of almost unintelligible words, spit spraying from her lips all the while. And now to the right, where that smug grin only seemed to have widened, before his eyes flashed over to you in something akin to sympathy. Your neighbor cut through Undyne's rant, ignoring how she squealed in protest as he did so. "I am so, so, so sorry," He spoke your name, and the look on his face suggested that if he wanted to reach over the fence to you, as impossible as that would have been, to clap his hand on your shoulder. "I really didn't want this to spread, you see-" 

"Shut up, Dick!" 

"--, it's Richard," Your neighbor continued with only the slightest bat of an eye, "This creature insisted upon.." You listed to his long list of excuses as he pulled them out of who knows where. When at last he seemed satisfied with his tall tale, which hadn't made even an inkling of sense to you, he paused, waiting for you to speak. And you did. Hands moving out in front of you, you unconsciously moved through the tale with hand gestures as you talked, "So, you're telling me that a monster kid was playing with your..erm..son.." Truly his son was more of a monster than the monsters, but you trudged on. "And so you saw it it to deal with it yourself, going as far as to scare off the child," Your neighbor started, as if to interject, but you pressed on regardless, "Before chasing after it, only to be stopped by Undyne?" 

You could almost feel the pride coming off him in waves as he nodded eagerly. "Oh, please, don't give those things names. But yes! And then she threatened me! All the while that bastard-" Undyne screeched and almost began to walk onto your property, not that you would have stopped her, but composed herself just in time. Her foot, which was hovering over the sidewalk that connected your yards, reluctantly stepped back beside it's partner. You, in reaction to his word choice, raised your eyebrow. "--thing was cowering behind her, egging her on! Oh," He called your name again, it sounding less marvelous coming from him, "You must side with me on this! That thing keeps insisting that I'm in the wrong, but I know I'm not."

Not for the first time, you inwardly let out a groan and wished he would just move out. This district was populated with mostly monsters, anyway. Without thinking, you answered him, "Nope, sorry. Gotta say I'm with Undyne," You pointed in her direction, "on this one." Your neighbor looked absolutely floored, his flabbergasted expression and flapping lips causing him to look like a cheap imitation of the type of monster he was trying to argue against. This wasn't the first time you had intervened, and every time you always sided with the neighbor on your left, and every time, your decision left the neighbor on your right absolutely stunned. 

Before rushing back into his home, your neighbor let out a stream of words that were supposed to be insulting, such as "Monster-Lover". With the slam of his door, you turned towards your other neighbor. You were surprised to find two monsters clutching onto her, one being the well-known Doctor Alphys, and the other a young bird-like creature with several dozen too many feathers adorning its face. Wanting to make light of the situation, you recalled your lessons on brain function, and called out to them, "You know, Undyne, there's a reason your on my left side. Logical, rational, and not led by emotions." You heard Alphys murmur a bit loudly, "W-well, not all th-the time.." 

"Thanks, Human!" Undyne separated herself from her two barnacles, making careful steps onto your side, as she always did when you did your best to settle the fights between your neighbor and her. Once she had made her way over, the fish monster presented her hand to you. You mentally prepared yourself, but your body was not ready when, after you had shaken her hand, she pulled you into a crushing hug. It always happened after situations like the one that had just occurred, but you always forgot until it was too late. 

Muscles protesting this constricting activity, you coughed and wheezed, patting her back with the arm she was not currently crushing in her grip. "O-oh dear," Alphys ran over to where your heartfelt, and heart-crushing, embrace was taking place. After a few minutes, she manages to pull you two apart, but not before Undyne gave you a loving noogie. That was new. "You're really cool, Human! No wonder Pappers and Lazybones come over here all the time!" 

You thanked her, and waved goodbye as the trio of monsters left. The young bird-like monster told you a joke before galloping onto your neighbor's side of the sidewalk, and you chuckled as you turned and opened the door to your home. That laughter, however, died in your throat as you came face-to-face with a mannequin that had certainly not been there when you first walked out. 

"Oh..uh..sorry," Napstablook's voice came out in a hushed whisper as you clutched at both your heart and your side. "I heard..uh..a fight, and.......um...went through the back? Sorry." It took a few seconds, but you waved off his apology, stepping to the side to let him out as he did. Once he was fully out the door, you called out a goodbye and shut the door behind him. 

You sauntered over to your kitchen, glancing at the microwave clock as you went. Cool, you were actually ahead of time due to that small fight outside. You still had an hour until you had to report to work, which gave you plenty of time to do whatever for fifteen minutes before your routine shower. You pulled out a small apple from the fridge, bumping the door closed with your hip before making your way out of the kitchen and up the stairs. You turned into your bedroom, quickly finished the apple and chucked the remains, and grabbed at your phone. You weren't surprised to find that you didn't have any texts from Papyrus (The Great and Magnificent). He knew your schedule, and knew that you weren't supposed to wake up for another eight minutes. You were surprised, though, to find a text from Sans among your list of notifications. 

**-knock knock-** It was sent seventeen minutes passed midnight. 

You swiped your phone and quickly typed in your pass code, typing the obligatory "Who's there?" before throwing your phone onto your bed. You were shocked by Sans, yet again, when your phone buzzed before it was done bouncing on the bed. You picked up the device, peering at the notification. 

**-honey bee-**

**-Honey Bee, who?-** As was expected, the response to your text was sent within seconds after yours would have been received. 

**-honey bee a doll and gimme dem digits-**

You snorted, loudly. You decided not to respond until after your shower. Which you did. Hair still dripping as you used one hand to scrub a towel into it, effectively tangling the locks while also removing the extra moisture. You picked up your phone from where you had causally tossed it, smiling as you looked at the messages your friends had sent you, among them was Papyrus (The Great and Magnificent). 

You took your time going through them, dismissing them after having replied. Finally, you got down to replying to Sans. 

**-Sans, you already have my number.-**

**-do i-** You shook your head lightly, changing into your work clothes before replying again. 

**-Yes, that's how you're texting me now.**

You tugged on your work shoes, an old pair of rugged sneakers with faded colors, and began to rummage through your closet. After a few minutes of searching, you found one of your favorite winter garments, and pulled it out. It was a rather fashionable black jacket with a soft cotton exterior and soft fleece interior. It wasn't suited for the weather that should have been decorating the region this late in December, but this December wasn't the usual one apparently, and so it was more than enough to beat back the chill that had settled overnight. Tugging it over your work shirt, you grabbed your phone and started downstairs. 

You paused at your kitchen table, pocketing your wallet and house keys as you did. Peeking up at the window that sat over top your sink, you could see the light hint of frost decorating the edges of the glass. You sighed, and turned towards the door, and upon doing so, promptly jumped back. You were staring into the face of a very startled Papyrus. "HUMAN!" He quickly recovered, striking a heroic pose. "I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, HAVE COME TO ESCORT YOU TO WORK. YOU LEFT YOUR DOOR UNLOCKED, SO I ASSUMED THAT YOU LEFT IT UNLOCKED FOR ME." 

Before he could announce who he was again, you silently cursed yourself for forgetting to lock the door after the small fight, and shouldered passed him. "Sorry, Pap, I really gotta hustle if I want to make it on time," On time being twenty minutes early. You shuffled to the front door, pulling it open to allow you to pass through and keeping it that way so Papyrus could do the same. You walked over to your garage, pulling the door up for a quick second to drag your bike out, letting it shut on its own. You smiled down at the old thing that you'd had since your teenage years. The paint was chipped, the tires worn, and the breaks a little squeaky, but it got you where you wanted to be, and it suited you just fine. 

Maneuvering your leg over the seat, you pressed your foot into the pedal slightly, cocking your head to glance over at your skeletal companion in a silent question. "I WILL MANAGE TO KEEP UP, HUMAN, DO NOT WORRY ABOUT ME." You shrugged and began to pedal out of your driveway, making a sharp turn once you began to ride over the sidewalk. You careened onto the road, sticking to the bike lane dutifully as you rode. 

You raced along the streets, the wind howling in your ear and stinging at your skin. You let out a wild grin, whooping to Papyrus, who kept up with you easily. The two of you traversed the distance from your home to your work swiftly and safely, making almost no stops as you went. It was early, being just before seven when you left, and it was probably only a few minutes into the hour now. Your teeth chattered loudly, your chains rattled endlessly, and you were grinning madly. Your workplace was in sight now, and you could barely contain the urge to continue passed it. You pulled into the parking lot of your beloved pet store, waving to the store owner as you swept passed her. You pedaled to the back of the store, pulling your bike into your familiar parking space. Your legs wobbled as you dismounted, whether it was from the rush of adrenaline or the cold you didn't know. 

You made your way in the back, pushing your way passed all the currently unused carts and cages. Bags of uneaten animal food was strewn about the storeroom, one of which was torn open and spilling across the floor. You pointedly ignored that one, you would get to it later. After a full minute, you finally arrived at the exit, which you happily pressed through to get to the main floor. A series of yips and yelps floated where there had previously been quiet peacefulness. You radiated in the atmosphere provided. 

Papyrus, who had opted to go through the front, waggled his bones at you in greeting before turning back towards the cage he was currently inspecting. You smiled at him fondly, your shoes flopping against the checkered linoleum floors before stopping at his location. You peered into the cage where a very grumpy looking calico glared up at Papyrus. The old cat was one you were familiar with, having worked at the store for several months, almost a year now, and you knew she was here twice as long as you were, if not thrice. 

"Hey, Max." You offered, the cat now turning its attention to you. You reached behind the shelf the cage sat upon, grasping at a bag of food. "What's shaking?" You asked, lifting the bag and opening the cage from the top. You poured the contents of the bag into a small bowl that sat next to the cat, Papyrus staring up at you with glee all the while. You ignored the series of buzzing coming from inside your pocket as your phone vibrated against your hip, waiting until you were finished feeding Max before pulling it out. Papyrus asked you, eyes pleading as he did, if he could fill up Max's water bowl. You pressed the home button as you gave permission, smiling as he raced off with the bowl in hand. 

**-hey-**

**-its sans-**

**-can i have those digits now or-**

You rolled your eyes, sending him a quick text before pocketing your phone. Before it fully slid into your pocket, two things appeared. One was a very excited Papyrus, who looked a little wet, strangely. The other was a very bored-looking Sans, who had come into your line of sight just as Papyrus had left it. Sans lifted a hand to the crown of his skull, phone clinking against it as he sent a mock salute in your direction. You sighed, acknowledging the pointed stare your boss gave you before he slid into the storeroom. Moving passed the skelebros, you began to check up on each of the animals, talking to the creatures as you went. 

As you finally got to the canine section of the store, you called over your shoulder to the brothers who were currently trailing after you, "I should get my dog from here," Papyrus immediately groaned, having been subjected to the assault of dog-related puns for the duration of his stay yesterday. Sans only sped up his pace a little bit so he was walking beside you instead of behind. It was a little hard, the rows of cages and shelves were close together and so the path as narrow, but the two of you managed, pressing up against each other just a little bit. "No, seriously, the dog would already know me pretty well, so that'd be a plus," You paused at one of the cages, where a beautiful English Mastiff puppy pawed at the cage door. You wiggled your finger at it, which it enthusiastically sniffed before licking the single digit. 

You giggled, paying a little bit more attention to the puppy before carrying on. Papyrus had taken your place once you had left, but Sans was a few cages in front of you. With one fell swoop, three of the cage doors fell open, and the little critters they held sprang free. You let out a surprised yelp, reaching out to stop the inevitable, when the inevitable happened. Puppies, pugs of all different colors, launched themselves at the lazy skeleton. 

You quickly darted over to your fallen friend, pulling off puppies and placing them back where they belonged, only to have them squirm out and go back to gnawing on his bones. You groaned loudly, all of your efforts proving worthless within seconds of action. Sans deep chuckle startled you, though. You looked down at the puppy-covered skeleton, who simply leaned back, staring up at you with an amused smirk. 

"*did someone order a large pizza with extra _pupperoni_?" You puffed out your cheeks in response, forcing him to laugh harder. Lifting one of the pugs, Sans grinned, "*i can't help it. i didn't-" Oh, please no, "--*choose the-" No, no no. You were beginning to remember why you hated puns. "--* _pug life, the pug life chose me._ " He chortled at his own bad joke, forcing you to tilt your head back and let a loud and unattractive groan. 

"Sans, did you really release all the pugs for that?"


	4. What should I name it?

Fervent knocking sounded from the other side of your front door, forcing you to look up from your phone. Sliding your chair back, you stood and quickly walked away from your kitchen door. Pocketing your phone, you unlocked the door, tugging it aside to view who had been knocking on your door so insistently. You expected one of your neighbors, Napstablook already having come and gone. What you did not expect, however, was a member from each of your closest neighbors. 

Undyne hung back a little bit, glaring holes into the back of your other neighbor's head. If they noticed, they certainly didn't show it. Instead, their arms spread wide in front of them, effectively pushing you to the side as they waltzed into your home. Undyne, who seemed to be the only one out of your neighbors who respected your property as of late, stepped forward, but stayed on your front step. You gave her an appreciative look before inviting her inside with a wave of your hand, turning to go find where Richard's wife had run off to. Your brow furrowed as you thought of where she would have possibly gotten to. 

"Oh, darling!" There, that answered your question. With Undyne following you, shutting the door behind her, you walked into your living room. You peered in muted discomfort as you witnessed your neighbor spreading herself out on your couch, clearly feeling at home. "Uh..Sure, yeah.." You murmured to yourself, looking back to Undyne to find out if she could help you at all. She shrugged, her ever present scowl deepening as she returned her gaze to your very comfortable neighbor. You did as she did, slowly stepping towards her as you watched her. "So, uh..Linda? Yeah, Linda," You paused as she trained her relaxed gaze on you, hands poised above her head in what would be a very sensual position if it weren't your neighbor. She purred your name, only furthering you confusion, and causing prickles of slight disgust to line on your shoulders and down your arms. "What are you doing?" You asked cautiously, hands fumbling for your phone. 

She watched you for a moment before throwing her head back on the armrest of the couch, brushing her slender arms wherever she could move them on your couch. She looked like she was trying to make a snow angel, except there was no snow, and she was on your couch. You stopped once you were in front of her and just over an arms length away, she was not touching you unless she got up. Undyne stayed where you had left her behind your couch, not making any movements towards the obviously distorted female sprawled out on your couch. She did, however, offer some background. 

"This Human had a fight with the other one," You nearly snorted, knowing how angry Richard would be if he found out that Undyne couldn't even remember his name. Linda would be as well, but it was clear she wasn't thinking about..well..Anything. "And then she came over here. I saw her looking through your windows, so I came over to check on her. Then she started banging on the door like a wild.." She trailed off, glancing down at the almost obviously inebriated female. Her cheeks weren't flushed, and she didn't reek of alcohol, but this behavior was weird, even for her. You nodded, silently thanking the monster. 

Your neighbor began to hum, and you asked if she wanted you to call Richard. The suggestion made her scoff and hold up her hand towards you in protest. You stared at the open palm, of which was stained a concerning red, "Oh, doll, you can't possibly be suggesting that I go back to that..pig!" Undyne made a move to laugh, but stifled it as she continued, "Darling, I'm staying with you!" You started at this, who had decided that? Before you could make a move, however, Undyne announced that she was going to get your neighbor, which caused Linda to groan rather loudly. 

After she had swiftly dashed for the door, you pressed closer to your neighbor. Her hand was still suspended in the air and so you took it gently in your own, tracing over the irritated flesh. You asked her what happened, noticing a distinct swelling to her wrist as you did. "Oh, I slapped him!" She laughed heartily, not making a move to take back her obviously injured hand. "Ooh, I showed him! Ha..h..I don't remember what he did, but I showed him for it, Darling!" She cooed softly, twisting to take your hand in her uninjured one. 

For a frail-looking woman who had likely never worked a day in her life, she was startlingly strong, a fact you found out as she pulled you closer to her. Her body curled into a sitting position as she gathered you in her arms, squeezing you tight. Your phone dropped from your grip, clanging to the floor with an audible thud. You felt your discomfort crawling up your spine, tickling you in a very unpleasant way, as she began to stroke your hair. Your lips curled, and you made a loud squeak of protest, of which she ignored, of course. Her cheek now pressed against your head and rubbing at it gently, you felt your breath hitch as she ran a rather pointed nail along your neck. 

Her finger danced along your soft flesh, her not appearing to grasp the implications of her actions. Your lips stretched to reveal your teeth as you grimaced, pulling away from your neighbor. She tugged you back into her arms, and your eyes closed as her nail dug in a little bit. "You know," Your name ran through her teeth like poison she was keen on spitting out. This was not the disgustingly sensual woman purring your name a minute ago. "You're awfully closed to that monster, aren't you? She even came running up to check on you," Fading sunlight poured over your joined forms, darkness crowding over the sky as clouds moved to cover the sun. "And then you go as far as to refuse me?" She wasn't making sense anymore, pressing confusing accusations onto your person without hesitation. 

The door clicked open just as she was interrogating you on where your loyalties laid, her questions being ones you pointedly ignored and refused to answer. Footsteps came closer, and it was only when they were almost impossibly loud that she finally released you, dropping her body back onto your couch without so much as a word. You stumbled away from the woman, putting plenty of space in between you, as your new guest arrived in the room. 

You looked up and made eye contact with very surprised Sans, of whom you had not seen since The Pug Incident of '15. If your calendar date slashing skills were up to snuff, and you were usually consistent with that part of your daily routine, it had been three days. You gawked at him from your position on your carpet, when Undyne finally arrived again. "Hey, Human!" She called out to you, making way as Richard himself stepped into your living room, immediately siding by his wife. "Look who I found!" 

She reached down and grasped at Sans arm, pulling it above his head. He lifted his hand and waved before flopping it back down. Your neighbor moaned her protests as her husband extracted her from your couch, shooting you a questioning glare as she was moved passed you. Nope, nope, you weren't going to tell that she may or may not have unconsciously threatened your life. Nope. 

You subtly shook your head, and, seeming pleased, she turned her head back towards her husband, growling at him. As he walked out your door, he called a "Thank you!" to you, ignoring the fact that it was Undyne who had gotten him. You silently wondered how she had managed that. Shrugging it off, you looked back towards your company, gathering yourself and standing. "Sorry for the long wait, Human! I had to drag him here, he wouldn't come here willingly!" Ah, so that's how. "Lucky I'm so strong, huh?" 

She struck a pose that looked vaguely like one Papyrus would make, before turning towards the door. "Well, I've got to go, it's late, you know? See you around, punk!" She noogied Sans playfully, eliciting a short laugh on his end. "You, too, Human!" You rubbed at your head, which she, thankfully, decided not to come back and noogie. You gave out your own farewell to her, and was about to do so with Sans, when he sat down at your feet. You let out a startled cry, wasn't he just over by the doorway? 

No, don't question it, you chastised yourself. He was a weirdo, and weirdos do weird things. Weirdly. You patted his head briefly, and smiled. Who needs a dog? You've got Sans. Okay, no, you berated yourself again, that was cruel. 

Sans didn't appear to be fazed by your internal discussion, if he even noticed it at all. You moved passed him, hearing the soft grunts he made as he got up to follow you. You stopped by the couch momentarily to pick up your fallen device, shoving it in your pocket before continuing on to the kitchen. You glared at the microwave clock, which let you know that it was six, and you had a little over twelve hours before work began. You sighed and made your way over to your fridge. After opening it, you leaned in to it slightly, not caring that your rump was very obviously put out there. 

"Hey, Sans, are you staying long?" You began to move through the various food items, settling on a block of cheese and a bottle of ketchup, just in case Sans decided that he was. When you stood to full height, closing the refrigerator door all the while, you were a little concerned to find a very flushed looking skeleton standing in your kitchen. Did standing up really take that much out of him? What a lazybones. 

He nodded at your question, "*you _cheddar believe it_ ", settling down in the chair you had previously vacated. He probably chose it because you had forgotten to push it in, and he wouldn't have to go through the very tiring motion of sliding it out to make use of the furniture. Yeah, a total lazybones. You slid the bottle over to his side, turning away to pull out some bread from the designated drawer. 

Sans stared at you, a question on the tip of his non-existent tongue. What had Linda been saying to you? She had pulled away before he could see anything, your frantic movements afterwards making it clear that she had been holding you, but he could still hear her faint voice pulling through the silence the house had been keen on keeping when he arrived. It was clear, though, that you weren't planning on sharing, if that small exchange between the two of you before Linda had been pulled away was any indication. Still, he wanted to know. 

Maybe he should bring it up during the next PTA meeting? Nah, that'd be too much work. He'd have to remember that to be able to bring it up, and remembering stuff was work. Besides, you didn't look too frazzled. With that, he decided to drop it, similar to how you dropped into the seat across from him. He watched as you smiled at him, reaching over to wave a hand in his face. "Hello? Earth to Sans? You spaced out," 

He chuckled and grabbed your hand, pushing it away from his face as you began to munch on your sandwich. "*now now, hold on. _i'm a monster, not an alien_." You studied him for a moment, brow furrowing. "Wow, you may not exercise, but it's clear you _stretch_ , if that joke was anything to go by," Sans scowled at you as best as he could with his ever-present grin. 

He leaned back in his chair, bring the bottle to his lips and shaking it lightly, waiting for the red mass to drip to the tip. You shrugged, taking another bite of your sandwich. The two of you continued in that not-so-awkward silence for a few minutes, it only being broken every once in a while when Sans couldn't get the condiment to squeeze out enough. Finally, he lowered the now-empty bottle onto the table, reclining back with his hands behind his head. 

"*so," You looked up, slightly surprised that he was starting the conversation for once. Where he had previously had his head hanging in the grip of his hands, eye sockets shut and a lazy smile plastered on his face, he now had one eye cracked open to stare at you, and his smile had morphed into a playful smirk. "*the dog. whatcha gonna name it?" You blinked once, twice, and then a third time. Shoving the rest of the sandwich in your mouth, you chewed thoughtfully, avoiding his gaze as you brought a hand to your chin, cradling it in a gentle hold. 

You swallowed, something that was decently hard considering the size of the congealed lump of bread and dairy that had been sitting in your mouth, and smiled at him. You released your chin so that it could rest in your open palm as you leaned forward, "Depends on the breed, remember?" He nodded, but other than that, he made no move to speak or remove himself from his comfortable position in your chair. Your eyes darted to the ceiling for a moment as you thought about it, before returning to him. "I do really like the Labracadabrador named Magic, though." 

"*what about a pug?" 

You started at that. Searching your memory, you couldn't remember any pug puns, you didn't think that you and Sans had come up with any yet. Narrowing your eyes, you asked Sans if this was about the incident a few days prior. He shrugged, "*i don't remember any pug puns." He cast a look your way that suggested he wanted to entertain him with some. You shrugged, telling him you couldn't think of any either. Before he could respond, your phone began to beep loudly in your pocket. 

You cursed yourself softly, you were sure you had returned it to vibrate. Flicking the phone on, you looked up at Sans in surprise. It was a text from him, but he hadn't taken his phone out at all during your conversation! Nope, not going to question it. 

**-name it bug-** You looked up at him curiously, eyebrow raised. He shrugged, "*so when it sleeps on the floor it can be a pug named Bug snug as a bug in a rug." You snorted against your better judgement, causing his grin to widen. You waved him away, assuring him that if you did get a dog, you'd want it to be a large one. "*you should get a fat husky. and name it husky. _it'll be a husky husky named Husky_." 

Your nose wrinkled, "Sans, are you even trying?" He leaned back even further, and for a moment, you were afraid that he would tip over. "*nope. that requires work." 

You rolled your eyes, standing up and cupping your hand to the edge of the table. You began to sweep the bread crumbs into your hand, carrying them over to the trash. You grabbed the empty ketchup bottle, depositing it into the recycling bin before heading into the living room. You didn't hear Sans get up, and so you weren't even mildly surprised when you found him spread out on your couch. You flopped down where his feet would have been if he hadn't moved them at the last second, grabbing the remote before doing so. You flicked the television on, placing your arms over the back of the couch and reclining back. 

Sans looked at you with a mixture of happiness and something you wouldn't have been able to place even if you looked over at him. The domestic atmosphere this moment provided delighted him to no end, and it nearly left him without words. Nearly. "*so, Magic, huh?" You turned your gaze from the screen and nodded at your punny companion. "It's my favorite one out of the bunch of jokes, it's kinda cute, huh?" Not as cute as you, Sans thought to himself. 

"*you should get a pet fox," You cocked your head at him, waiting for him to continue. "*name it after yourself, let everyone know how foxy you are," You pulled back in surprise, but his eye socket closing to wink at you assuaged you. You brought a hand to your lips, chuckling into it slightly. "Sans, you're terrible!" You gasped, pulling your hand away for a moment and revealing your flushed smile to him. 

You threw back your head and let out a long laugh, glad your abdomen had recovered fully. Your laugh danced along the air, not enough to cover the loud hum of the television, but enough to cause Sans to join in. The two of you stayed like that for several minutes until you wiped away at a tear that had successfully began to streak down your cheek. You sighed, turning your gaze back to your skeletal friend. "You're _Sansational_ , you know that?" 

You didn't fight the next wave of laughter to pass over you, completely missing how Sans' pupils dilated into hearts which glowed intensely, missing how a soft blue light had taken over his entire face, which was currently very flustered, and you especially missed how he leaned off the couch towards you, if only just slightly. You didn't miss, however, his voice shaking as he tried to stammer a response. Your laughter broke momentarily so you could look over to him again, but by the time your eyes had cracked open to see him, the television held an image that as entirely blue, washing both of you in its azure glory, causing you to overlook the deep blush that had settled over him. You watched in barely contained amusement as he twitched slightly, one eye socket wider than the other, but both eyebones raised in shock. 

You turned away from him, laughing again.


	5. Should I get a dog?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> THIS CHAPTER IS SO LONG IT IS OVER 9K WORDS LONG BE PREPARED. I'M SORRY FOR THIS

The rest of the week passed almost too quickly, but that suited you just fine. Between the incident at the pet store to start off the week, your neighbor and her crazed episode in the middle, and one very unexpected mannequin waking you up at the end, almost giving you a heart attack, you were very ready to see it pass. Not to say nothing eventful happened between those occurrences; Linda stumbled to your door three more times in what you now knew could not be an intoxicated stupor, but luckily, you were at work each time. It was almost enough to make you thank your boss for the long hours he gave you, but you thought better of it. No need to give him ideas. Papyrus escorted you to work two more mornings, Thursday and Friday, but had been absent from your life otherwise, excluding the usual morning texts. But Saturday, you, while were recovering from the fright Napstablook had caused, had even grown closer to Undyne, leading you to meet the very talented Alphys formally. 

And now you lay, staring up at your ceiling and tracing invisible patterns with your eyes, on Sunday afternoon. A new week was upon you, and it didn't start with screaming! Surely this week would be monumentally better than the previous. Still, you were content staying where you were, ignoring your phone when it buzzed and moving passed the various notifications when you checked it for the time. You were on for the night shift tonight, which meant plenty of time to play with the animals while you waited for the new shipment of creatures and critters. 

You heard from your boss that this one would be almost exclusively of the insect variety. Fun. 

Your eyes burned slightly from the bright setting you had your phone set to. It was half passed one. You had to be dressed and out of the house by five, so you had plenty of time to create more imaginary artwork. Dropping the phone by your head, you turned back to the ceiling, and immediately picked out a fox among the random swirls. You chuckled to yourself, remembering what had Sans had said last Wednesday night, before going back to find more. Your phone buzzed constantly, alerting you to both old notifications and new, but you didn't spare it even the barest of glances. 

You sucked at your teeth absently, sliding your tongue over your front teeth after a minute. Cringing slightly, you coughed. Your mouth tasted bad. Really really bad. You rolled over to your side, climbing off the bed and wandering over and into the bathroom that connected to your bedroom. You weren't looking to impress anyone with fresh minty breath, but from what your minor analysis had told you, you wouldn't be surprised if some of your new insect friends keeled over when you talked to them. You could have easily waited until before or after your shower, but then you would be stuck with the foul taste, and right now, that was a fate worse than death. You picked out your toothbrush, a plain green thing with too many buttons that had been gifted to you a few weeks ago by your very-clean friend, Woshua, and lathered toothpaste over the bristles. Running it over water for a second, you lifted it to your mouth and brought it inside. 

Clicking one of the buttons on the back, the only one you used, you scrubbed at your teeth while the toothbrush's vibrations rattled them. You leaned over the sink, pulling the toothbrush away for a moment and pressing the button again to stop the spittle from flying everywhere, and spat. Shoving it back in and turning it back on, you glanced at your reflection in the mirror. 

You'd been sleeping well these past few nights, and it showed. Your skin radiated with health, and the bags that you had thought would be there forever had vanished almost entirely. You grinned an awkward grin, still moving the toothbrush along your teeth. You shut it off for the last time after spitting three more times, absolutely ensuring cleanliness, and washed it off. After you were sure that the bristles were clean and the left over toothpaste was gone, you deposited it in its holder, clicking the protective case over it to prevent dust from gathering on it. You used it twice a day, and weren't sure if it ever would collect dust because of that, but Woshua had insisted. 

Your clothed feet thudded on the ground silently as you padded back to your bedroom, shutting off the bathroom light before exiting completely. You weren't surprised to find that your phone was still buzzing insistently where you left it. Raising an eyebrow at the offending device, you plucked it up, quickly swiping up and clicking the Do Not Disturb icon. Giving a quick look over the messages you were so wildly receiving, you sighed and tossed it back. All of your old friends, of whom you haven't spoken to in years, were now inclined to be present in your life again. Likely, they had heard how successful you were. You doubted they wanted a sudden blast from the past. 

You walked over to the radio that sat on your dresser and flicked it on, ignoring the speakers next to it that would attach to your phone if you plugged it in. While it had all of your favorite music, you knew it would pause sporadically to let you know, hey, you have messages. Turning up the volume to one you could actually hear, you were shocked when it shouted, "--Over the counter, fill that prescription!" Cocking your head, you listened for a few more heartbeats as the music from your rebel years poured into the room. You chuckled softly at the memories, walking away from the radio as it played. 

The next song began, and, being so attuned to this music in your younger years, you recognized it as the next song in the album. You weren't aware that they even could play Mindless Self Indulgence on this station, let alone the whole "If" album. You shrugged it off, plopping down onto your bed. Your body disturbed the covers as you wiggled slightly to the beat of the music. By the next song, you had given up trying to find artwork in the ceiling. You rose off the bed and checked your phone, ignoring the assault of notifications that lit up. Hardly passed two, you still had plenty of time to dance to the angst music of your teenage years. And so you did. 

Head bobbing, hips awkwardly shifting, you imitated the terrible dancing you had always performed in your bedroom when you were younger. Eventually, you laughed it off, turning up the radio so you could hear it as you shifted downstairs. Trotting into the kitchen, you wandered over to the tea cabinet, and then to the bread cabinet. Popping two slices of bread into the toaster and grabbing a kettle, you bounced along to the music that could be faintly heard from your bedroom. You glanced over at the teabag you had placed by the stove. Alphys had been adamant in giving you a wide variety of special Underground blends, as both a thank you for helping Undyne and for helping Napstablook. You had tried to tell her it wasn't necessary, but the now large assortment of boxes in your previously unused cabinet told how well that went. 

The teabag was a bit small, and it was fashioned in the form of a fish. Reddish leaves poked out in odd corners where the leaves could not be confined, and the label read "Echo-Flower Tea". Strange, from what you had heard, you were sure Echo Flowers were blue. Shrugging, you poured the hot water into a mug and plopped the bag in. Carrying it over to the kitchen table, you watched as it floated along, shading the water a light brown as it went. The toast had since sprung up from its machine, and you had finished it while waiting for the water to boil and the kettle to begin screaming. 

Music still rang through the house, but you were fixated on the fish teabag. It was strangely beautiful in its own ways, and definitely charming. Finally, you lost it in the now very dark water, and the mug chilled to the point where you could grab it comfortably. Lifting it to your lips, you breathed in for a second before allowing the liquid to splash into your mouth and down your throat. You resisted the urge to cough as it burned at the roof of your mouth and tender skin lining the inside of your throat. Pressing on, you continued to down the liquid until the mug was empty and your eyes watered from the heat. 

It was absolutely delicious. A smile curled your burned lips as the tea settled in your stomach. Dropping the mug off in the sink, you would wash it before you left, you swept up the toast crumbs into your hand, tossing them in the trash with the used teabag. If you remembered correctly, one of the final songs in the album was sounding off, and you wasted no time in racing up the stairs to go enjoy it. 

Once upstairs and in your room, you bopped along to the beat, snatching up your phone as you went. The album wasn't a full hour long, so you weren't surprised to see that you still had a quarter left until three. Sifting through your notifications, you found several texts from people you actually wanted to talk to, the skelebros being two of them. After hastily replying to Alphys, who had given you her phone number along with the boxes of different teas, and shooting a quick text to your boss letting him know you'd be early, you read over what Papyrus had sent you first. 

**-HUMAN-** It was like his keys were permanently stuck on caps lock. You chuckled at the thought, continuing to scroll through the messages. 

**-I HAVE NEWS, HUMAN-**

**-SANS PET ROCK HAD MET AN UNFORTUNATE DEMISE-** Why did you get the feeling that Papyrus didn't find it very unfortunate? 

**-HE HAS DECIDED TO BUY A FISH-**

**-HUMAN, WHEN WILL YOU BE AT WORK TODAY? OR DO YOU NOT HAVE WORK? SANS WANTS TO KNOW IF YOU WILL ASSIST HIM IN PICKING OUT HIS NEW PET, WHICH HE HAS PROMISED NOT TO FEED SPRINKLES. UNLESS IT NEEDS THAT.-**

**-hey wanna help me get a fish-** You were surprised to find a text that was very obviously from Sans within the thread between Papyrus and yourself. It was clear that Sans had used his brothers phone, whether he did so with his brothers permission or not was entirely unknown on your part. You continued scrolling. 

**-SANS DO NOT TAKE MY PHONE-** He did not have permission. 

**-sorry bro-**

**-HUMAN, WHEN WILL YOU BE IN?-**

**-SANS SAYS THAT HE IS FREE TO COME IN WHEN YOU ARE READY-** You reached the last of the texts, pulling up the keyboard to respond. 

**-Sorry, Pap, I'm working the night shift tonight. The store closes at six thirty, but I'm getting there around four thirty. It's a little late to go pet shopping, but if Sans doesn't mind?-**

**-i don't-** You were surprised, he actually used his phone to respond to that. You clicked on his name, pulling up the message thread between the two of you. A few texts sat there, having been ignored in your quest to answer Papyrus before you were drowned in a sea of excited texts from the taller skeleton. All of these texts were fish-related puns, letting you know that he knew you would attend to Papyrus' texts before his. You rolled your eyes. 

**-Cool. I'll see you then?-**

**-knock knock-**

**-..Who's there?-**

**-me-** Before you could question it, there was a series of knocks outside your front door. Don't question it, you reminded yourself as you made your way downstairs. Once there, you walked casually, if not a bit slowly, to your front door. Tugging it open towards you, you were glad to have to look up, signaling that your visitor was not, in fact, Linda. Sans had let you know he would be coming, but the chance that Linda could have been on the other side of the door was a very real one. 

Moving aside, you let Sans in, shutting the door behind him. You heard the door to your neighbors slam open, and you quickly turned the lock. "So, a fish, huh?" You made your way back upstairs, idly wondering why Papyrus wasn't with him. You traveled passed your bedroom, the only room in this hallway that you really used, and continued beyond the several doors that littered it. You were aware that Sans was following you, and so you were not surprised when, after you'd turned into one of the last rooms in the long hall, he was on your heels. You kept the door open, silently inviting him. 

A bed was pressed along the wall across from you, covered in a gross layer of dust. You ignored it, making a hard right and going to the closet that was there. Pulling the doors aside, you knelt and began to pull out several different supplies. You had had plenty of pets before, fish being among the different species, and you rarely discarded any of the old gear for any of the pets you had had, just in case you wanted one of those species again. With a little bit of effort, you hoisted out a small aquarium, perfect for a snake or fish. You sent a small smile Sans' way when you saw him staring, before turning back into your closet. You tossed a few backs of gravel and some small decorations before standing and closing the doors, dusting your hands off on your pajama pants as you swiveled to face Sans. 

He separated his gaze from the supplies on the floor to look up at you. "Did you bring a car? I don't think you want to walk with all this stuff. I mean, you could put everything in the aquarium, but it's kind've heavy without all that wait, and you don't like to put any effort into anything? Plus some of the decorations would scrape the glass if jostled too much." You lowered yourself onto the floor, picking up the various supplies and explaining what each of them was for. "*what is all this for?" He finally said after you had finished explaining. 

You beamed up at him, offering how you had plenty of pets before. "..And you're getting a fish, right? No sense in wasting all that money when I can fork over what I'm not using, huh? This stuff costs a literal fortune now, and I've got stuff to spare!" The music was still playing in your room, shooting off some remixes that didn't actually sound all that good. It filled the silence that Sans was apparently comfortable giving you as he looked from the gear, to you, and back to the gear. His surprised smile, which had been strained slightly, warmed within seconds of you speaking. 

He lowered himself to the floor, "*thanks, bud. you don't have to do this-" He lifted a hand before you could speak, "--but i know you want to." You grinned, and asked him how he'd like to transport the supplies after he said that no, he didn't bring a car. Finally, he called Papyrus, who was more than happy to help. While the two of you waited for him to arrive, which would only take a few minutes, Sans asked who would be working with you for the night shift. 

You shrugged, your smile slipping slightly. "No one, boss man is bailing after he closes up, so it'll be just me. Usually there's someone who always has this shift with me, but they quit a few weeks ago." You shrugged again, "Oh well." Sans was eyeing you carefully. The neighborhood surrounding your place of work was definitely a safe one, there was no doubt of that fact, but you would be working. Alone. At night. 

Sensing his apprehension about you working alone, you laughed, waving him off. Someone began to knock at the door, that being the catalyst for you finally getting up and moving. After helping Sans up, which was harder than it should have been for a bag of bones, you stretched your legs and exited the room, making a stop in yours to finally turn off the radio. Once that was done, you began to speak again. "Relax, I'll be fine. Even if I didn't have Reggie, Max would totally claw at anyone who tried to hurt me. Mainly because that's his job," You let out a small huff of laughter, unlocking the door to pull it open. After directing Papyrus to the room where the supplies waited, you and Sans began to trail after him. 

"*Reggie?" You let out a gasp of faux surprise. "You mean you _don't_ know Reggie?" He shook his head. "Well, I'll have to introduce the two of you when you come to pick out your fish." And so you did. The three of you, well, more you and Papyrus, as Sans only lifted a finger to give the both of you a thumbs up, worked on transporting the gear to Papyrus' car before the eager skeleton drove off. Shortly after, you yelped at the time, and hopped in the shower, quickly changing and brushing your teeth once you were done. By the time you had finished, you only had a few minutes to spare if you wanted to get to the store early. 

A skeletal hand clapped over your shoulder, and you looked up in surprise to see that not only had Sans made the effort to lift his arm, but he had also gone through with the motion of stepping forward to place it on your shoulder! Huh, maybe the lazybones was making a change in his habits? Scratch that, he was probably using you as a rest of some sort. You smiled warmly at him when he began to speak, "*that mean you're gonna be riding your bike home?" You nodded. "*when does your shift end?" 

You shrugged off his hand, rushing out the door to get your bike before immediately turning back inside without having stepped off the front step. Pushing passed him to grab at the wallet you had forgotten, you pocketed the keys you hadn't noticed weren't already in your pockets, before sliding your phone into your jacket pocket. You raced passed him again, him barely having moved from where you left him. "Um..Well...Technically, I only have to stay until after the shipment arrives so I can get the animals settled in their hopefully temporary homes, but I usually stay another hour or so to get them situated so...The shipment is coming around one and getting them settled takes half an hour, so I guess I'll set off for home around three?" 

You began to start back out the door when Sans grabbed your arm, stopping you. "*why do you get there so early if your job doesn't happen until one?" You shrugged, you were just told to be there at five thirty, but liked to be there early to help out a bit more. Plus the animals were cute. You tugged at your arm, which Sans let go for a moment, only to move to your side and loop his arm through your other one. His arm curled around yours before his fingers intertwined with yours. 

You chuckled, "Sans, I can't ride a bike like this," He nodded, telling him that he knew that. "*you're not riding your bike home, and i don't think you want to leave it there overnight," You cocked your head to the side. It was too late to walk, but when you told him that, that only seemed to harden his resolve. "*you're not walking home either," His voice was laden with blatant concern, causing a smile to spread along your cheeks. You tugged him outside, flipping the lock before shutting the door behind the two of you. 

"How am I getting home then, bone boy?" You teased, missing the very light flush that decorated his cheeks. "Or to work, for that matter," He leaned into you for a moment as he reached into his pocket, digging out his phone. He didn't release his grip on your hand as he unlocked it, clicking on Papyrus' contact name. You listened with the barest hint of curiosity as Sans told his brother that he would be borrowing his car for the night. For the night? Did he expect to stay with you during your shift? You doubted your boss would be okay with that. And so you told him that, after he had hung up, of course. 

"*nope. i know you got it handled over there. i'll just hang at Grillby's or something and whenever you're ready, you can text me and let me know. i'll pick you up." You looked up at the skeleton quizzically, "Isn't that too much work for you?" He looked down at you, his expression sending a slight shiver down your back. "*it's not too much if i know you're safe." And with that, all your protests of over stepping his hospitality died on your lips, and you turned away from him, a light blush adorning your cheeks. After a few minutes, Papyrus drove up in your driveway for the second time in just as many hours. 

You sent a wayward glance at your garage as Sans walked towards the sports car, pulling you along with him. Maybe if you made a break for it..He is lazy, after all, so he wouldn't chase you for very long, if at all...One look from him, however, had you facing towards the vibrant red car, not even entertaining the thought for a second longer. "Pap, how are you going to get home? Are you coming with us?" The bubbly skeleton shook his head at the last question. "THE GREAT PAPYRUS NEEDS NO CAR SO LONG AS HE HAS LEGS!" You frowned lightly, feeling a little bit bad for going through with Sans' suggestion. Neither monster would have it, though, Sans pulling you closer to the passenger side of the car, and Papyrus excitedly yelping, "PLUS I CAN SPEND TIME WITH UNDYNE, WHO WILL NO DOUBT ALLOW THE GREAT PAPYRUS TO STAY THE NIGHT IF HE MUST!" 

You assured him that if he was still around, you were sure Sans would give him a ride home, who nodded at that. Papyrus grinned even wider before back flipping through your yard and onto Undyne's, making his way up her front step quickly. With a vibrant wave goodbye, Papyrus was pulled into the home before he could even knock by two powerful blue arms, and that was that. Sans broke his grip on you to open the door for you, and you heckled him slightly for suddenly changing his lazy ways. He laughed heartily at your comment, shutting the door for you before making his way to the driver's side. 

Starting the car, Sans turned slightly to back out, only turning around again once it was okay to. As the car began to move forward, he grabbed at your hand, and you glanced at the fleeting imagine of your home one last time before it disappeared around the corner. One obscure thought came to mind as it did, and you would have voiced it if it hadn't been so strange. You had forgotten to wash the mug before you left. 

Turning your attention back towards the road, you noted how the drive was slightly slower than your usual bike rides. The time of your shift had almost ensured that fact, the time of day ample for traffic as people and monsters alike were arriving home or heading off. The traffic lights seemed to be against the two of you, as well, as nearly every light the two of you came across turned red before you two could pass it, not that Sans was making an effort to go any faster when the light turned yellow. The silence between you two was almost suffocating, and it would have been uncomfortable had Sans not been running his thumb along the knuckles of the hand he held. You looked down at where the two of you were joined, your heart thumping happily at the sight. 

You attempted to slow your erratic heartbeat, you didn't like Sans like that. But your heart was insistent, and so you let it do as it liked. You weren't worried if Sans could feel or hear it, he seemed rather focused on the road, and your heartbeat wasn't loud like it should have been if your crush was holding your hand as fondly as Sans was, and you could barely hear it over the rush of wind that had broken the silence seconds prior when Sans had asked you to press the button to crack his window open just a tad, both of his hands being busy. 

Finally, after almost ten minutes for a ride that would have taken a little over half that normally, he pulled into the parking lot of your pet store. You smiled at the familiar parking spots, Sans choosing one close to the entrance, that lazybones. Your joint hands separated again after Sans had turned off the car, and before he could make it to your side to help you out, you slid out of the car on your own. Standing on wobbly legs, you made your way over to the skeleton, his hand immediately taking yours. 

The slight shaking in your legs persisted as you walked up to the entrance, not bothering to go all the way around to the back. Sans pulled the door open and held it for you, causing you to roll your eyes before telling him your appreciation. You wondered if the shaking was there because your legs ached to do something other than sit, had you conditioned your body to expect physical activity at the thought of going into work? Probably not, but that was the only explanation you were willing to accept. Sans did not move to grab at your hand again as the two of you stepped into the slightly-busy store. 

You glanced at the clock that sat above the checkout counter. Four thirty eight. Eight minutes passed the time you had wanted to arrive. Sighing inwardly, you pressed on, calling to Sans over your shoulder, "So, wanna meet Reggie?" Sans had fallen back, allowing you to navigate through your store as he simply followed. He let out a soft grunt, carelessly waving to one of the crates of pugs he had released a week prior. The store had been rearranged, apparently. If he remembered correctly, they were not so close to the front last time. 

You waved to the coworker manning the counter, a smiling bird woman who you realized resembled the monster child from last week's fight, as you walked passed. You maneuvered through the various rows and shelves like an expert before finally coming to stop before a collared dog who lifted its head from where it previously rested, The dog was an old German Shepard, gray littering his brown muzzle. He woofed lightly in excitement as you approached, not even glancing at Sans, who hung back slightly. Kneeling down, you began to ruffle the fur behind his ears, cooing to him gently as you did so. 

You paused, much to the the obvious disappointment of the dog, to look over towards your friend. Reggie followed your gaze, head tilting in confusion for a brief moment before slowly standing and trotting over to the skeleton. "Sans, this is Reggie," You introduced, despite knowing that Sans had probably already figured that out. The dog stopped a few steps away, growling gently. You rose from your place and hastily walked over to Sans, patting his shoulder. Reggie watched your movement, his growling having stopped, and once you lowered your hands to his height, he made his way over. 

"Sorry," You nuzzled the dog affectionately. "I should have let you know that he was a friend. Sorry to have worked you up, boy," Reggie's tail wagged despite your apology, and he eagerly yipped and woof, his deep voice coming out in short huffs. You smiled and motioned for Sans to move down to the floor with you, which he did. "Hold out your hand," You instructed, watching from the corner of your eye as your friend followed your instruction. You gave Reggie one last loving kiss on the head before pulling away. He whined twice and his tail stopped wagging as he looked up at you with sad eyes, but when he noticed the newcomer shake his hand gently, as you had told him to do, his attention was torn from you. 

As he sniffed and finally licked Sans, you looked away from him to stare at Sans. "He's the guard dog that no one, regrettably because he is an absolute sweetheart, wanted." You paused to gasp excitedly, causing Reggie to turn his attention back towards you. "Maybe I should adopt him?" Sans turned his gaze from you to pat the dog behind an ear, scratching in a similar fashion to what he had seen you do earlier. Reggie, as if he had picked up on what you had just suggested, let out a loud bark in response, his tail thumping against the ground as he sat down. You grinned, leaning in to kiss the fur just above his nose. Sans pulled away as the dog got up to wander over to you, flopping down on your lap, earning a loud "Oomph!" from you. 

He watched as you and Reggie communicated, you talking to him and asking him if he'd like that, and him moving around anxiously, letting out the occasional happy whine. His sockets closed slightly, enjoying this moment intensely. Finally, you looked up at him, the grin toying at your lips almost enough to loosen the control he had over himself. His pupils contracted as he forced them to retain their pixel shape, "What do you think? If I get a dog, should I get Reggie?" You looked away again, your earnest smile widening slightly. "He seems to like the idea. Don't you, Reggie?" 

After a few more minutes of this, you sighed almost sadly, catching his attention. "Too bad boss man wouldn't ever allow it. I'm not the only one attached to this old dog," You looked as if you were about to pout, and one glance at the dog in your lap showed that Reggie was ready to do so, too. Finally, you began to stand, Reggie sliding from your lap. You pulled out your phone, looking at the time. You had a few minutes to get this dog hair off your uniform and get ready to work. 

Sans was beside you in an instant, sparing one last pat to the dog who began to whine as you pulled away. You hushed him, assuring the dog that you'd be back once the store closed. "*why doesn't he follow?" You began to walk along the various supply-covered rows, stopping at the occasional shelf to reorganize it. "He knows better to do that when the store has customers in it." You gave him a side glance as you pushed one of the bags back from the edge where it had previously been teetering over. "You would have seen him the last time you were here, but boss man took him for a walk." That brought forth the question of where he goes to the bathroom at night, which caused you to shrug. You walked him when you had the night shift, but that shift was only open occasionally, so you didn't know about the rest of the nights. He didn't go in the store, you knew that much. 

Finally, after brushing off a few handfuls of fur, you began to escort Sans to the fish section of the pet store under the pretense that you were helping a customer. You waved to your boss, who nodded at you from the cages he was attending, and you continued on. The fish section wasn't a particularly large one, but that didn't mean you didn't have plenty of variety in stock. 

You slid beside Sans, who had stopped at one of the tanks. He spoke your name, tapping at the label that hung over the aquarium he was looking at. "*which one do you like best?" You took a quick glance into the tank. It was full of Balloon Belly Mollies. You looked at Sans, his gaze trained on you, waiting for your response. Finally, you pointed to a white one with black speckles dotting its scales. He asked you to pick out another, and so you did, this time picking a fish that had all black scales aside from one yellow splash on its left fin, which was hardly visible. 

"*i'd like those two, then," You nodded, telling him that you'd _fish_ them out quickly. Placing them in a bag, you began to rattle off the care for this species before closing it off. After letting him know that females had to outnumber males two-to-one, and having you check the genders of the fish, he had you pick out yet another. This time, you picked out a small orange one that was freckled with black and brown spots, and white lines dashed down its sides. He asked you which one was the boy, "The black one," and asked you what you'd like to name them. 

You chuckled, shaking your head. "They're your fish, Sans. You should've picked them out, but since I did, you should at least name them." Sans shook his head, insisting that you be the one to name them, and finally you gave in. You named the sole male, a fish now named Looks because he looked ready to _krill_ , and told him to name the females. He beamed at you, watching carefully as you bagged them before handing them over. 

The two of you walked to the checkout counter, which was oddly vacant. Sliding behind the counter, you rang up the fish, waving away his attempts to pay for them, instead sliding your own money into the register. He seemed uncomfortable with that, but you quickly assured him that it would pay for the gas he had wasted in driving you. He rolled his eyes, "*it was not a waste," but let it go. You rushed back to the fish section, picking up the food you had forgotten to supply him with, and missing as he slid the money into the wallet you had left sitting on the counter. 

After ringing that up as well, which he would not allow you to pay for, you saw him off. By then, you had a little under forty five minutes before the store closed. You stayed at the checkout counter, none of your other coworkers making a move to take your position. They did, however, bring you a few of the animals they were handling, knowing that that was what you would rather be doing instead. Finally, the clock tickled to six thirty, and like clockwork, your coworkers moved to shuffle out the door, giving you friendly farewells as you went. The last of the customers had left ten minutes prior to the store closing, and so Reggie padded over already, and they gave him loving pets before heading out. 

Finally, your boss sauntered out of the storeroom where he had spent the entire day cleaning up. You assured him you would have helped him if you could, but he waved you off. Pressing the spare keys into your hands along with a list of what to expect, your boss started out the door. Giving you one last waved, which you happily returned, he finished locking up and shortly afterwards drove off. A pregnant silence hung around the store for just a moment before you pulled out your phone. It had stayed on Do Not Disturb, so you hadn't been bothered by it all evening. 

Plenty of notifications were dismissed, and you chuckled at the selfies that Papyrus had sent you, sending him pictures of Reggie in response. Your tapping disguised the hushed zap, and just as you rose your head to sniff at the air, someone plucked your phone from your hand. You looked over your shoulder, shooting a glance at the offending skeleton who only shrugged. 

"*hey. c'mere." He curled an arm around your waist, pulling you close and gaining a strange look from Reggie. Holding the phone out beyond the two of you, Sans snapped a selfie of the two of you. You inspected it as he sent it to Papyrus and then to himself, not making a move to remove his arm from where it casually lay. In the picture, you looked dazed, shocked even, but Sans looked rather collected. You almost demanded he take another one where you were more prepared, but decided against it. Sans pocketed your cellphone, which you didn't particularly mind, and rested his head on your shoulders, leaning his large frame into your back. 

Your heart began its wild drumming, much to your disliking. You scolded it inwardly, nearly missing as Sans began to speak, "*so, how was work?" You shook your head at him gently, moving to separate the two of you. He allowed that, but his hand quickly found yours to replace the missing contact. "I'm still at work, silly. Weren't you supposed to be at Grillby's?" 

He shrugged, lifting your hand as he did. "*'got bored. finished setting up the tank, the fish seemed happy when i left, so i came over." You smiled at that, walking out from behind the counter to go visit the kittens. "Nice, Sans! What did you name the other two?" He didn't allow the contact to break any further, but shuffled a deal behind you as you led him through the store. "*uh..well, the small orange one is named Orange-" You shook your head at his lack of creativity, "--and, uh, the white one is named.." Don't tell her you named it after her, Sans warned himself. "..Princess." You lifted an eyebrow at that, but smiled. "Looks, Orange, and Princess. Cool bunch of names, if I do say so myself," 

Sans nodded, looking behind him at the dog who was very obviously following them. After making eye contact with the pup, and receiving a small woof in response, he turned back to you. After a few more seconds, you paused at one of the cages, where a very angry calico tom was glaring up at the two of you. "Heya, Max, what's up?" Uneaten food sat in his bowl still, so you didn't ask him what was shaking. He hissed at you, and you shrugged. "Love you, too," You continued down the rows of cages before finally stopping eight doors down from the angry cat. 

"Do you like cats?" You asked, toying at the latch that held some very cute looking kittens. Sans shrugged, using his thumb to point at Reggie, "*does he?" You assured him Reggie was fine, and unlocked the cage. Almost immediately, small bundles of fur began to squirm out of the cage and into your awaiting arms. Sans, still not letting go, was included in this small embrace, as kittens climbed up his arms before settling themselves where they sat fit. You lifted the ones that had settled on you onto him, shaking his grip loose before pulling away. 

"I'm going to go check on the snakes, I'll be back." Surprisingly, Reggie didn't start off after you, plopping his butt down beside Sans instead, who was currently trying to manage the mass of fluff and fur. True to your word, you were back over ten minutes later, but by then, it had been too late. Sans had become a statue, the kittens having long since stopped their writhing on his person. Instead, they were all nestled in his hood, sleeping on top of each other. You exclaimed how cute it was, ignoring the sweat that was dripping down his skull. 

You immediately set to cleaning that cage, and by the time it was time to get ready for the new shipment, Sans had had animals of all shapes, sizes, and species sleep on him or in his hood, each one being placed back in their cages once you had cleaned them, making room for the next cage to be opened. As he followed you out the back door, where a truck was waiting for your attention, Sans glared down at Reggie, who seemed to be very amused with the situation the skeleton had found himself in. Currently, he had a mouse nuzzled against the side of his spine, and it didn't seem like it was set on moving anytime soon. 

You called him over, lifting a rather large box as you did. He wandered over, Reggie glued to his side as he did. Before you could ask, he took the box out of your hands, causing you to shrug and turn back towards the woman who had prepared another for you to take. After a few stops, all the animals and supplies had been transported inside, and you had seen the worker off, thanking her before you did. She seemed to really like your kindness, expressing her own gratitude before heading off. Your stunned smile, you weren't used to being thanked by the shipment workers, stayed pressed along your jaw even after you had made your way inside, away from the cold. Sans had noticed it, as he always did, and it brought a sincere hint to his ever-present grin. 

The two of you set to work, setting up the exhibit for the insects. An area had been cleared for these critters, which you informed Sans had previously been for birds, ensuring that you didn't have to remodel the store again. You were pleasantly surprised that Sans was actually helping, making a quip about it only after the two of you had finished so that he couldn't make a point to stop working. You got back to work on cleaning the rest of the cages, and Sans found himself decorated in creatures once more, the mouse not having yet been placed back. 

Finally, once the last cage had been cleaned, food and water being replaced, you leaned back, letting out a loud sigh as you wiped away at the sweat that had begun to form on your forehead. You smiled, turning your gaze back towards Sans, who had been almost entirely cleared of all his new animal friends, aside from one pesky mouse who had refused you before. You whispered for him to follow you, knowing that all the animals were asleep now, and so he did. He was beginning to know the paths around the store very well now, and had you told him you were going back to where the mice and rats were located, he felt confident he could have led you there instead of the other way around. 

You stopped before the cage that the mouse belonged to. Before he could try to extract the small critter himself, you had pressed yourself almost hard against him, reaching up on your tip toes to grab at the animal. Sans felt his arms fall to his sides in barely contained surprise, and had just enough time to restrain himself from throwing his arms around you, you were so close. And you stayed that way for, what seemed almost unbearable on his end, a few minutes. You had nearly lost your balance on several occasions, the mouse not wanting to come loose and you not having anything to lean against as you stood, aside from him of course, but you didn't want to invade his space too much. 

Sans gulped loudly as you finally picked up the troublesome mouse, turning away from him to put it back where it belonged. Patting the latch shut, you turned to grace Sans with a charming smile. His back shot ramrod straight as he resisted the urge to lean down and kiss you, fingers twitching slightly. "Wanna come for a walk with me and Reggie?" He nodded, his usually dry throat even drier. Your grin widened, revealing clean teeth, and you set off towards the storeroom to fetch Reggie's leash. 

Looking down at the aforementioned pup, Sans frowned as much as he could, looking into the almost smug expression the dog had. How a dog could look so smug, he didn't know, but right now, Reggie looked like the smuggest bastard Sans had ever seen. The dog trotted after you as the sound of jinking filled the silent store, and Sans followed soon after. 

You smiled as Reggie came running as fast as his old legs could carry him, and you knelt down to clip in the leash. You brushed away the fur that was covering his almost invisible collar, chuckling to yourself as he whined for you to hurry up. You looked up at the clock above your head, two thirty. This walk would have to be a quick one. You rose to a standing position just as Sans finished walking over to you, and almost instinctively now, you held out your free hand. He didn't even hesitate, sliding his over yours and curling his fingers around yours. 

You walked into the storeroom you had just left, patting your pocket idly to ensure the store keys were still in there. You felt both sets, yours and the store's, and locked the door behind you as you three walked out. You almost instantly regretted it, realizing all too late that you had forgotten your jacket inside. You lurched forward, ready to unlock the door and quickly head back inside, when something fluffy and warm settled around your shoulders. You looked up as Sans knelt down, plucking the leash from your hand so you could push it through his jacket. You opened your mouth to protest, and began to, when he hushed you. "*you take that jacket off, and i'll keep putting it on you." 

Grumbling to yourself, you moved the sleeves over your arms, but before you could move to zip the jacket shut, Sans was in front of you, doing it for you. The jacket was impossibly long, which you expected considering how he towered over you by a few inches, and so he had to lower himself until his face was near yours. He zipped the jacket as far as it would go, which left a bit of your collarbone exposed to the chilly and unforgiving winds. You lifted your hand to push back some of your hair, placing it behind your ear, as he moved away from you. Before you could make a move to begin pouting, his fragrance washed over you, effectively shutting you up. The jacket smelled like dusty old books and ketchup, with a hint of something you only recognized because Papyrus insisted on always showering himself in it, bone cologne. 

Taking your hand again, he began to walk around towards the parking lot, not waiting for you to finish mussing with your hair. You stumbled after him, ignoring the small bark Reggie gave you. As you walked, you could feel your phone thud against your hip with every movement. You had forgotten that he had it. Reggie had eventually walked over to your side, forcing you to take the leash from Sans to avoid getting tangled up, which you didn't mind. The three of you went around the block connected to the store twice before Reggie finally glanced up at you with weary brown eyes. You petted the German Shepard before looking up at Sans, letting him know that Reggie was ready to head home. He nodded, and began to lead you back towards the store. 

At some point on the way back, you had begun to lean against him. It started off with a small brush of the shoulders, and then took off from there. Sans had released your hand to place an arm around your shoulder, taking Reggie as that you could loop your fingers in his. Your heart beat wildly in your chest, and you shushed it. You did not like Sans like that, this was just something friends did. Sure, you wouldn't do it with Papyrus, definitely not Woshua, or any of your other friends, but this was a friend thing. With that in your mind, you pointedly ignored your heart as it tried to tell you otherwise. 

The store came into view, and Reggie whined softly, moving ahead of the two of you to start towards it. You shrugged to Sans, and he squeezed your hands in response. Reggie widened the gap between the two of you and him, almost going as far as to pull the leash taut. He was almost shaking with excitement as you pulled the keys out of your pocket, having to lift up the large jacket to reach your pants, and unlocked the door. He raced inside, well, raced as fast as a tired old dog could race. Separating from Sans, you pressed inside, Sans following closely behind. He locked the door for you as you slid out of his jacket, offering it to him after you slid your phone out of its pocket. 

He took it from you, slinging it over his shoulder instead of actually putting it on. Lazybones. You walked out of the storeroom, giving it a quick glance to ensure everything was fine since you left. You looked up at the clock, which read half passed three, and sighed. Turning back to Sans, you asked, "Do you want to head out through the front, or the back?" You grinned as he answered. "*whichever door is closest." You quickly darted in the store to give Reggie one last kiss before wandering back into the storeroom, locking the door connecting the main room and the storeroom as it shut behind you. You reached up and grabbed your jacket, placing it over your shoulders with a determined smile. Sans shrugged and slid into his own. 

The two of you walked out, and you slid into Papyrus' car once Sans held the door open for you. You hadn't noticed it before, but it was parked a few feet from the exit. Sans slid in beside you, and started the car up. Turning to see what he was doing as he backed out away from the curb, he drove out from the back lot. You settled a bit into the seat, not starting in the least as Sans reached over and cradled your hand in his own. The two of you rode along the empty streets with ease, only stopping twice for traffic lights this time. You leaned into Sans, your head pressed against his form, but not enough that it would hinder his focus. 

You blamed the unconscious action on being tired, repeating the mantra that no, you did not have a crush on your skeletal friend. Your heart played a different song, however, and you nearly asked Sans if you could open a window to mask it. Sans looked down at you from time to time, your peaceful expression and gentle nuzzles having long since stolen his attention, but not enough so that he would be unfit to drive. After a few minutes, your home came into sight, and he reluctantly pulled into your driveway. 

After turning off the car, Sans shook you awake gently, his breath catching as he took in your sleepy expression and heard your tired moans of protest. You bright a hand over to clutch at his jacket sleeve, hugging him close for a moment before he was forced to call your name. Using the hand that had been holding onto him a second prior, you wiped at your eyes, yawning as you did. You hadn't been tired before entering the car, but staying seated for the few minutes that you had been, while also telling yourself that your actions were due to working so long, you began to realize just how the hours had worn you out. 

You opened the door on your side and headed out towards your front door, leaning against Sans after he had once again taken your hand. As you walked, the both of you missed the eyes of your neighbors as they watched you carefully. Had you noticed, you would have wished it was Undyne instead of whoever on the other side that it had been. You would have been able to take her teasing. As the two of you stepped up, you reached into your pocket, digging passed the store keys that you would have to return when you went to work on Tuesday, guiding yours to the lock. You bumped the door open with your hip and turned towards Sans. 

You opened your arms and embraced him fully, smiling to yourself when his arms found their way around your smaller figure. You hugged him tightly before pulling away. "Goodnight, Sans," You tried to think of a pun, but couldn't in your tired state. "Thank you, for everything. Enjoy Looks, Princess, and Orange, okay?" He nodded silently, his smile widening. "I guess I'll be _Shiba Inu_ later?" You said with a wink, giggling as he accused you of pun stealing. He said his final goodbyes, and you made your way indoors, shutting the door and locking it behind you. 

Sans grinned, and if he had a heart, it would have been soaring as he made his way back to his brothers' car. He pushed his way inside and started it, giving your home one last fond glance before pulling away and starting for home. Papyrus was staying over at Undyne's, so he headed home to his now not-so-empty home, smiling as he thought of Looks, Orange, and the one he had told you was named Princess, but was actually named after you. 

You stumbled halfway up the first step before making your way back, turning towards the kitchen. You would go to bed in a minute, you had to finish cleaning that mug, first.


	6. Do you want a dog?

Monday having already arrived before you went to bed, morning washed over you like an unforgiving hangover. Sunlight poured through curtains you could have sworn you shut, and an unpleasantly cold breeze cascaded over your slightly exposed skin, carrying away with it both the warmth you had so desperately wanted to keep, and the last vestiges of sleep. Your mouth was lined thick with sticky sleep, causing you to smack your lips together in an attempt to rid yourself of this gross substance. Sliding out of bed, you stumbled towards the window to draw it shut and close the curtains, both of which you were almost positive were not open last night, when you tripped.

Catching yourself quickly, you were thrown awake as you looked down. Sitting directly below your foot was a large figurine that you knew what not there the previous night. You didn't even own toys, let alone a Mettaton figure. You reached down and picked it up carefully, as though it would bite you, and made your way over to the window. You quickly shut it, pulled the blinds down, and tied the curtains shut. With your goal finished, you were almost sad, knowing you would never be able to lull yourself back to sleep after the events thus far. 

You were just about to shuffle over to your bathroom to brush your teeth when a noise sounded from downstairs. Looking behind you quickly, you noted that the mannequin was gone, and decided that it had to be Napstablook. Still, he would typically wake you, or at the very least let you know he was coming. Walking over to your bed at a considerably faster pace than when you trudged over to the window, you pulled the phone from beside your pillow and began to search through your notifications after turning off Do Not Disturb. To your amazement, you only had three notifications, and none of them were texts. 

Mouth curling in something akin to suspicion, you crept back around your bed and over to your bedroom door, forgetting about the much needed hygiene check. Pulling the door open slowly, though it was not prone to creaking so you could have tugged it as quickly as you wanted, you scanned the hallway outside your bedroom. Nothing seemed out of place, and with the action figure still hanging by its wheels in your hand, you slid over to your staircase. You dropped off both your phone and the toy by the side, if whomever was lurking in your home was truly unwanted, it wouldn't due to have your hands full. 

From what you could see atop your steps, nothing was wrong. You would have assumed yourself to be hearing things had a loud bang not sounded at the moment the thought started, and you were racing down the stairs three at a time. This was not your lovable ghost friend, Napstablook made sure to be as quiet as possible. You followed the noise, throwing caution to the wind as you sprinted away from your front door and into the kitchen. Nothing was there, and nothing was misplaced except for the mug you had washed yesterday. You had kept it on the drying rack, but it was gone now. 

A chill ran up your spine as you considered grabbing a weapon. You didn't have time to even finish the thought as two long, bony arms captured you, effectively tossing you into the air. You let out a scream you hadn't realized had been waiting to come out, yelping and breathing hard as you struggled against whoever held you now. They spun you around, and your breathing grew ragged at the thought that they were trying to get you disoriented.

You began to hyperventilate in your sudden fear, not fully processing whose arms were draped around you. Your arms were pressed taut to your side as whoever had you now squeezed and nuzzled into you. They were nuzzling you? "HUMAN!" You relaxed suddenly, but not by much. "OUR FRIEND NAPSTABLOOK CAME! HE TRIED TO WAKE YOU, BUT SAID THAT YOU WOULD NOT STIR, SO THE GREAT PAPYRUS OPENED THE WINDOW TO HELP!" You were typically a light sleeper, last night's events must have really tired you out. Papyrus informed you that Napstablook had left, and he had stayed to be there for you when you woke up. He gave a reason, but it didn't really make sense. 

You were almost begging him to let you go now, your voice which had previously died in your throat due to fear was back. Papyrus gave you one last loving, albeit crushing, hug before plopping you in the doorway where he had picked you up. You immediately collapsed onto your knees, arms wrapping around you as you shuddered. You should have known it was Papyrus from the action figure you had tripped on earlier, but fear sometimes took away all rationality. 

Papyrus waited until you calmed yourself down. In the two years you had known him and his brother, they had gotten good at knowing when to let you do your own thing and when to intervene, and for this situation, the former won out. Finally, you gulped loudly, pressing more air into your lungs, and smiled up at your friend wearily. You allowed him to pick you up before you turned away from him, heading up the stairs to grab your phone and the figure. Once downstairs again, you tossed the toy to him, which caused him to shriek happily in gratification. 

Fear almost completely ebbed away from your person now, you didn't even start as another bony hand rested on your shoulder suddenly. You brought your hand to it almost instinctively, looping your fingers through and holding the hand. Papyrus was busying himself in your kitchen, likely looking for the spaghetti noodles and sauce you no longer kept in your home because of this very such skeleton, and you nodded at him when he glanced over at you. You made your way over to your kitchen table, plopping down in your seat while keeping your arm extended to retain contact with the hand you were holding. 

The skeleton attached gave you an appreciative chuckle, and when he opened his eyes to look at you, you leaned forward just a bit, squinting as you went. His pupils seemed to have morphed into tiny..blue....hearts? Seeing how you were studying him so intensely, or more accurately his eyes, Sans broke the hold he had on your hand and raised his to scratch at the back of his head. He felt his pupils dilating when you grabbed at his hand, but he hadn't expected you to notice from the distance where you sat. As he sat down in the chair across from you, he willed for them to return back to normal, missing as you shrugged. It was early, you noted as you looked at the microwave clock, you were probably seeing things. 

Once Sans had gotten his pupils back to normal, he began to reach across the table with both hands to capture yours, but was cut off as his brother turned around. You looked up to see Papyrus wearing one of your old and unused aprons, both that and his cape flowing in the nonexistent breeze. You thought about where he would have been in to find that ratty old thing, it having been pushed back to the furthest depths of your kitchen closet, and nearly snorted at the thought. There'd been a _skeleton in your closet_. You contained yourself, though, looking up at Papyrus. The fabric of both the cape and the apron swayed and licked at the air in a way that reminded you of something an anime character might do, and that prompted you to ask him if he had stayed over at Undyne's. He replied in the affirmative with an enthusiastic nod, striking a heroic pose after you had asked him how it went. 

"WE TRAINED FOR HOURS, HUMAN, AND SHE WAS MERCILESS! AS I WOULD EXPECT FROM THE FORMER CAPTAIN OF THE ROYAL GUARD!" You smiled fondly at him, pulling your hand from where it had sat after Sans released it and moving it over to prop your head up. "WE EVEN COOKED SPAGHETTI! THE VERY THING YOU SEEM TO BE LACKING!" You grinned and slid out from your chair, pushing it in after you had risen. 

"I'm sure we could find something other than spaghetti?" You asked, smiling as Papyrus' eyes lit up. He had become quite the culinary expert, most of his food edible now, and he quickly asked you if you had any eggs. You nodded, and he moseyed his way over to your fridge, opening it and looking through. You walked over to stand beside Sans, assuring him that you would be right back, and to tell Papyrus if he asked. Sans nodded, grasping your hand to squeeze it lightly before seeing you off. 

The taste in your mouth had been bothering you for a while now, and now that you had guests, you really wanted to get rid of it. You trudged up the stairs one at a time, turning into your bedroom and then into your bathroom when it came up. You set to brushing your teeth instantly, scrubbing at your teeth first and spitting thrice before rubbing the back along your tongue vigorously. You decided you would look up what the back of the toothbrush was called. Tongue scrubber? Tongue scraper? Tongue cleaner? As you leaned over to spit, you decided later. You would get to it later.

Rubbing the last of the toothpaste off using the tap water, you gurgled a bit of mouthwash before rinsing that foul taste out with some water, swooshing the cool liquid around in your mouth before spewing it into the sink. You let the tap run a bit longer until all your spittle was down the drain and there wasn't a trace of mouthwash or toothpaste left in the sink. You deposited the brush bag into its designated spot, placing the case over the bristles before opening the cabinet attached beneath your mirror and pulling out the other brush you needed.

You ran the hairbrush through your mess of tangles, running over last night before stopping mid-brush when you realized you couldn't remember the time between when you stepped out of Papyrus' car and when you washed that mug, which you now figured Papyrus had put away for you. Breath catching in your throat, you hastily finished brushing your hair before shoving the brush back where it belonged and rushing out to go back downstairs. You had to come back, though, for a quick second to click the light off. 

Continuing towards where you knew Sans was, thoughts ran rampant in your mind, troubling you further. Had you imposed on him? Had you made him uncomfortable? He didn't seem uncomfortable now, but if you knew that skeleton, and you'd like to think you did, then you knew he was great at hiding his true emotion. Color drained from your face as you thought that maybe he was only putting up with you now, and you had troubled him greatly. Your thoughts flipped and flopped around, one never staying for very long, as you scrambled down the stairs. You stopped halfway through as one thought took over, forcing your foot to stay poised over the step. Had the two of you..kissed? 

No, no no no no. You can't even kiss him, he doesn't have lips! You giggled to yourself nervously before letting out a long groan, prompting Papyrus to call out to you. You assured him you were okay, and continued to bound down the stairs. You would just pull Sans to the side and ask him! 

You were about to turn into the kitchen when a sudden and very loud knock rapped from the other side of your door. Poking your head in the kitchen, you told the skelebros you would be right back, and you turned to give your attention to the door. You had hardly tugged it open when two hands grasped onto your shoulders, pushing you further inside your home. You looked into the irate face of your neighbor as she kicked the door shut angrily, thrusting you backwards and causing you to flail your arms. Just as you felt you were about to fall, you caught yourself on the railing of your steps, and lowered yourself to sit on one. 

Her voice dripped with venom as she pointed a finger in your face, "My son saw you last night. What business do you have, showing a kid something like that?" You leaned away from her finger as it thunked against your nose, your elbows coming up to rest by your sides as you slid away from your neighbor. She was practically growling, and it only grew worse when you told her that you weren't at your home last night, only having arrived home from work early in the morning. "He saw you with that skeleton!" Pap? "I knew you were close to those monsters, I told you you were close to them, but now I see just how close you are!" You didn't like where this was heading, that thought only beating into your skull as she stepped closer still. 

She was practically shouting now, her hiss straining at each word, "What right do you have to come into my neighborhood-" You didn't interrupt her to tell her that you'd been there first. "--insult my family-" Was this about Richard? "--and poison my kid with the very idea that monsters and humans can be anything? Have you no shame?" She looked ready to lunge at you when a cough sounded from the doorway between here and the kitchen. You both turned, you thankfully and your neighbor furiously, to see Sans. He lifted his pointer and index to give Linda a mock salute. She turned back to you, her hands coming up to wrench you from your seated position by your shoulders. "Oh, he's here. That's him, isn't it?" You shrugged, inching away from her. 

"This isn't over," She growled your name as though it was the very poison she accused you of forcing onto her son. "I'll see you later." The emphasis she put on that last addition made you want to ensure that she never saw you again. You watched as she stomped out of your home, hopefully forever, and you rushed to the door to lock it after it slammed shut behind her. You slumped against the door, your forehead resting on the wood as you took a few careful breaths. You winced slightly, you didn't bruise easily, but that woman had an iron grip and your shoulders would no doubt be bruised shortly. 

You turned your head to look at Sans, whispering a "Thank you," to him. He shrugged and began to make his way over to you, but you stopped him, reassuring him that you were fine and standing up to your full height. Before he could wander back into the kitchen, however, you remembered what you had wanted to ask him, and asked him to come over. You called to Papyrus and told him the two of you would be over soon, and you took Sans' hand, dropping it instantly at the thought that he may be uncomfortable with it. He snatched yours back, however, causing a weak smile to grace your lips as you led him into the living room. 

You didn't bother to sit down, the two of you wouldn't be long. You spun around to face Sans, who grabbed your other hand once you were pointed in his direction. He looked at you with an expression you couldn't quite place, but you knew that it sent butterflies through your stomach and caused you to feel a bit lighter. No, you chastised yourself, you did not have a crush on this monster. He is a good friend, that's it. 

Why did the thought make you a little sad, though? 

"Sans, about last night.." He moved a little closer at that, his smile so genuine that it pressed one onto your own lips. "...Did we..uh..Did we kiss last night?" He moved back slightly at your hesitant voice, releasing your hands to cup your face. You blushed deep, very aware of him as he leaned closer to you. A small blue tint colored his cheeks as his eyes lidded, his face stopping with only two or three inches between your lips and his teeth. 

"*why? is something a _kiss_?" You laughed nervously at the poorly placed pun, shaking your head as best you could while he held onto it. His fingers tangled into your hair slightly as he moved closer to you still, only furthering your embarrassment. "*did you want to?" He brought one of his hands out from your hair to cup your cheek, his thumb running absently over your bottom lip. But it wasn't truly without thought, he was careful in his actions, rubbing over your lip twice before tugging at the middle. 

You began to shake as he toyed with your tender skin, sending bolts of electricity down your spine. With nothing left to say, -why weren't you denying it you didn't like him- you blurted out the only thing that came to mind. "I want a dog." He didn't even start at that, only offering you a charming smile before pulling his hand away with the full of intent of his lips replacing it. He closed his sockets and began to close the gap between the two of you, his other hand holding you firmly in place, when a loud shriek sounded from the other room. 

"SANS! HUMAN! THE EGGS ARE READY! I HARD BOILED THEM SO THEY TOOK LONGER THAN I THOUGHT BUT THEY ARE WITHOUT SHELL AND ARE GOOD! AND SANS," The aforementioned skeleton pulled himself away from you reluctantly to turn his head towards the door. "*yeah, bro'?" "THERE IS NO KETCHUP." 

He turned his gaze back to you, eyebone wiggling comically. "*i found something else, it's ok." You looked into his eye sockets, still wobbling slightly, when you settled. He was joking with you! What a tease! Laughing, you pushed him away from you, the hand that still rested in your hair coming to hold your shoulder. It caused you to flinch slightly, yeah, definitely a bruise there, but you continued laughing. Pressing your palm flat against his chest, you shook your head at him. "Man, you're too funny, Sans," 

You moved passed him, calling over your shoulder, "You should take up acting. You almost had be believing you were going to kiss me!" You spoke the last sentence quietly, not wanting Papyrus to hear. Your words left him a little stunned, he was going to kiss you. Slightly irritated, but not at his brother for interrupting, he could never be mad at Pap, he nearly grabbed you to press a kiss on your lips. By the time he'd mustered the courage to, you were already in the kitchen chatting it up with Papyrus. 

Grumbling, Sans followed slowly. He felt foolish for pouting, but he had been so close! His anger melted, however, when he came into the kitchen to find you looking through a cabinet you could hardly reach. You sent a quick smile his way, informing him that you had some ketchup or hot sauce somewhere, and you'd find it for him. "*ya got any mustard?" Sans plopped down in the chair you had previously been sitting in, Papyrus having taken his own. You nodded, lowering yourself from your tip toes to plant your feet on the ground and asked him if he'd like that. "*if it saves you the trouble, yeah." 

You shushed him, "If it's what you like best, I'd go through the cabinet until I found some for you," but slid the mustard over to him after grabbing it from the fridge. You bumped it shut and walked over to the table. Sans would have offered you his lap to sit on, he certainly wasn't going to stand, he was too lazy for that, but Papyrus shot out of his seat like a rocket before he had the chance. "HUMAN! PLEASE, TAKE MY SEAT!" You smiled warmly at the energetic skeleton, sliding into the chair he had vacated for you. He fetched you two eggs, hard boiled as promised, and shell completely off, despite you protesting that you could get it yourself. 

Sans watched as you and Papyrus went back and forth before finally settling on topic the two of you had ample knowledge about, that being Mettaton movies. Papyrus had lent you the entire collection some time back, insisting you watch them all and quizzing you to make sure you actually had, so you were well versed on all things Mettaton. You looked over at Sans as he guzzled the yellow sludge, calling yourself silly for thinking he could ever like you like that. After you turned back towards Papyrus, Sans opened an eye socket and directed his gaze at you, wondering if you could ever like him in the way he liked you. 

You didn't hear Sans as he spoke softly, too busy answering questions Papyrus was giving you to "ENSURE YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF METTATON IS UP TO DATE" to notice the other skeleton in the room. He smiled warmly as he reclined back on the seat, bottle still in hand. 

"*yeah, let's get a dog."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EDIT 2/16/16 I changed around some stuff, but I'm not fixing everything. Like where I put 'Lips' instead of 'Teeth' for Sans? Keeping it. I just fixed up some grammatical errors and spelling mistakes. :)


	7. What would you want to name it?

You drew your hand away from the cage as Max nipped at the tip of your index finger. You smiled at the very angry cat, resisting the urge to pet him and scratch behind his ears. When you'd arrived to the store nearly a year ago, you thought that all he needed was some tender loving care, and you had been prepared to give him that, but he wasn't up for it. Still, you showed him kindness and love as much as you possibly could whenever you could spare the time. You peered into the cage, careful to stay far enough away that you wouldn't be walking away with new battle scars. "I've been thinking of getting a dog, Max," The cat kneaded at the soft blankets beneath its paws, ignoring you. "Maybe I should get a cat, instead?" 

He looked up, glaring at you so intensely that it caused you to laugh quietly to yourself. "Yeah, yeah, bad idea, huh? If you're any indication, I'm awful with felines," You wiggled your finger at the ferocious tom, taking it back just as he swiped at it. "I get it, I get it, I'm on my way," You clicked the cage shut and stood up fully, arching your back to stretch. You placed a hand at the small of your back and leaned with as much force as you could without toppling over. You began to put space between you and your lovely furry friends, making your way through the rows towards the front of the store.

You'd stayed a few hours after your shift had ended after you learned that they were understaffed. You assured your boss that he needn't worry about upping your pay, you were doing it out of kindness, not for money, and he had let you stay. After working in the storeroom for three hours and then restocking the shelves for another two, you'd spent a final hour at the store with Max, trying to coax him out to clean his cage without having to feel his claws to do it. You had failed, if your wounded arms and scratched up jacket was anything to go by, but the cage was clean and you were happy. 

Your shift was usually from seven thirty to three, and it now being nine, the store had been locked up for quite some time. Your boss hadn't left yet, so you waved to him on your way out, sighing to yourself as he lifted a hand behind the mountain of paperwork in front of him. You would have offered to help, but he would turn you down as he had done in the past, so you didn't bother. Stepping out into the brisk air was quite the change from the warm store air, and it chilled your bones, though not unpleasantly. Your phone, a constant flurry of movement, reduced the time between its buzzing, and without a thought, you turned it on Do Not Disturb. You didn't check any of the messages, though you had a lot, before pocketing the phone and grabbing your bike from its hiding place. You'd buy a bike lock eventually, probably. Right now, it stayed safe between the store a nearby dumpster, and that suited you just fine. 

You mounted your beloved bike and raced out of the back parking lot, passing the store owner as you went. You sent her a wave, answering her when she asked where your boss was. After that, there were no interruptions during your ride from the store to your home. Shadows draped over you as you moved through the streets like an expert, the silence of the night lost to you as the wind sang a loud song that took over your sense of hearing. 

You didn't slow down your pace, but that didn't mean you couldn't take in the beautiful sights around you as you went. The moon, which was at a third quarter phase if you remembered High School Astronomy correctly, illuminated your pathways where the street lights did not touch, but only just barely. You were constantly covered in the darkness of the night, only being being showered in dull glows briefly as you passed them by. Your grip on the handlebars tightened as you stood, securing more speed as you used your new momentum to cause the bike to virtually fly over the pavement. Occasionally you hit a bump, and you would fly briefly, skidding as your tired slapped back onto the road. 

Your hair rose and fluttered in wisps, cascading behind you as you flew down the streets towards your home. It had only taken a few minutes to get home, but by the time you had stopped in front of your garage, your hair was tangled, cheeks flushed, and you were incredibly happy. A laugh danced from your lips as you dismounted, legs firm and steady beneath you. You walked the bike to the garage, which you quickly unlocked, and slid it inside. Once the garage was shut and locked again, you made your way over to your front door. 

Feeling eyes upon you, you turned towards your nosy neighbors, fully expecting to see a set of eyes or two staring down at you. When you didn't see that, you looked to your other neighbors, cocking a brow as you saw Alphys staring at you. She waved and held up her hand to stay you, rushing outside. Once there, she gave you a silent question with her eyes and came over to your yard after you nodded. You met her halfway, smiling up at your neighbor. 

"D-do you have off so-sometime soon?" You thought back to your schedule for a moment. It was Tuesday, and you'd had off only just yesterday. You asked her to hold up a minute while you checked your schedule, pulling out your wallet where it was stored. You were due to have another day off this Friday, you told her, and she smiled at that. "I-we, Undyne and I, w-were wondering if you-you'd like to come o-over? You've helped u-us so much-" You waved off that statement. "--and we'd l-like to get to know you better. We can in-invite Sans and Papyrus? I-I think Napstablook is b-busy the r-rest of the week and I don't know who else you know..sorry.." 

You shook your head, telling her there was no need to apologize. You'd love to come over, and you asked if she'd text you the details the night prior, in case the plans have to change. The two of you chatted for a few minutes longer, when she leaned in closer to you, as if preparing to conspire against someone. "We..are..uh..B-being watched?" You turned your head towards your other neighbor's house, watching with displeasure as a window curtain fluttered shut quickly. You rolled your eyes. "I'm sorry about them, they're kind of.." You thought for a few seconds, what were they? "...Uh, Linda and Richard. Kinda crazy." 

She nodded in understanding, and you did the same when she excused herself to get out of their sight. She looked slightly scared, diving back over to her side before scrambling to the door. You spun on your heels and set off for your front door, not caring if you were being watched by your crazy neighbors or not. You unlocked the door and swept inside, shutting it and locking it securely behind you. You slid down, resting your back against the door, as you took out your phone. 

**-HUMAN-**

**-IT IS I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS-**

**-WHERE ARE YOU? WAS YOUR SHIFT NOT SCHEDULED TO END AT 3?-**

**-AM I MISTAKEN-**

**-HUMAN-**

**-HUMAN-**

**-HUMAN-**

**-HUMAN-**

**-HUMAN-**

**-HUMAN-**

**-HUMAN-**

**-HUMAN-**

**-HAVE YOU TURNED OFF YOUR PHONE AGAIN?-**

**-HUMAN! WHAT IF SOMEONE WERE TO NEED YOU?-**

**-NOT THAT I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WOULD. I TRAINED FOR THE ROYAL GUARD ONCE, BUT STILL!-**

**-hey, Pap is worried about you you ok-**

**-we stopped by your house where are you-**

**-it's kinda late-**

**-you're not riding home are you-**

**-it's dark-**

**-that's not safe-**

**-HUMAN, SANS AND I HAVE ARRIVED AT YOUR HOME-**

**-YOUR WONDERFUL NEIGHBOR HAS INFORMED US THAT YOU HAVE NOT ARRIVED HOME YET! DO YOU NEED ASSISTANCE?-**

**Missed call from THE GREAT AND MAGNIFICENT PAPYRUS 7:28**

**Missed call from THE GREAT AND MAGNIFICENT PAPYRUS 7:38**

**Missed call from THE GREAT AND MAGNIFICENT PAPYRUS 7:48**

**Missed call from THE GREAT AND MAGNIFICENT PAPYRUS 7:58**

**-HUMAN WHY ARE YOU NOT PICKING UP?-**

**Missed call from Lazybones 8:01**

**-we'll check back later k-**

**Missed call from Lazybones 8:39**

**-it's later where are you-**

You glanced up at the clock on your phone. It was thirteen minutes to ten. You were about to continue scrolling down the message thread, pointedly ignoring all of the other ones, when a loud knocking sent you flying. You watched as your door was almost lurching towards you from the force of the knocks. Your phone began to light up as another call from Lazybones was coming in. You slid your finger over to accept it. Before he could say anything, you whispered harshly, "Get whoever is knocking on my door to stop so I can open it." 

The knocking stopped within a few seconds of you telling him that, and you stood to open the door. You were immediately flung into the air before being caught and held tight against armor that was very uncomfortable to be pressed against. "HUMAN! WE WERE SO WORRIED!" You let out a soft strangled sound, wheezing as Papyrus squeezed you so hard, you were almost certain your bones would break. Squealing in pain, you were immensely thankful when Sans spoke up, placing a hand on his brother, "*hey bro', 'think you're hurting her." 

He swung you around like a small child would a dog or puppy, your legs flailing to the side and only just scraping the doorway before the skeleton's momentum carried you in the other direction. Finally, he released you, plopping you to the floor unceremoniously. Bringing a hand to your forehead, you rubbed the dizziness away with the heel of your palm, shutting your eyes tightly. You felt a hand clasp your shoulder, and you knew it was Sans. Leaning into his touch slightly, you waited until the dizziness faded completely before opening your eyes again. Looking up to your friend, you asked, "Papyrus, why were you worried?" 

It didn't make sense in your mind. The two, or, rather, three of you weren't set to hang out tonight. Why did it matter when you got home? Sans squeezed the shoulder he still held onto, and you shrugged his hand off as you gathered Papyrus, who looked ready to cry, in a hug. His arms wrapped around you, gentler this time, and he held you close. It was still a little crushing, but at least you could breathe. "WE-..We-" You nearly broke away from him at that time. Papyrus didn't know how to talk quietly. Inside voice? Please, screaming is his inside voice. Even his whisper was similar to a stage whisper, AKA, still loud as all heck. 

You allowed him to continue, though your confusion grew when he did, "--We were a little concerned, Human. I asked you to text me after you got home this morning," You nodded at that, having forgotten it until now. "And when you didn't, I asked Sans if you had texted him, maybe getting our numbers confused. I waited for a while, but you didn't answer. And," He knelt down before you, his tears seeming to have evaporated from the heated gaze set in his sockets now. "I heard that someone was threatening you. You, friend of The Great Papyrus! Sans would not tell me who it was, but when you didn't answer, I assumed the worst." 

Your eyes furrowed as you wore a sad expression, burying yourself in his embrace. He was genuinely concerned about your well being? "And then Alphys and Undyne said they hadn't seen you either, and then your wonderful neighbor?" You could feel Sans cringe at that. "I couldn't bear to have something happen to one of my biggest friends!" He pulled away so that he was directly in front of you again. "Human?" You hummed in response. "Please answer your phone. Check it more often if that's why you weren't answering. Keep it on silent if the noise or vibrations bother you, but please do check it. Okay?" 

You nodded, and the two of you continued to talk. Sans watched from a few steps away, wringing his hands for a moment before shoving them in his pockets and turning to the side. He'd been pretty worried too, not as much as Pap because he knew you could whoop anyone or anything that tried to harm you, but he was still worried. He looked back at you, heart aching softly. 

He had been thrown in a tizzy all yesterday evening and all day today, feeling as though he had overstepped his boundaries greatly with you. He hadn't acted like himself yesterday, even if you had thought that he had, thinking he was making a joke instead of almost going through with his desires. It was completely out of character for him, and it wasn't going to happen again if he could stop it. You had just looked so..confused. As if you needed something he felt he could give you. He'd acted on emotion instead of reason, and that had left him feeling awful all day. You didn't look uncomfortable when he left, Papyrus towing him through the front door, but maybe you were hiding your feelings? He hoped not. He wanted to know if he was doing anything to make you uncomfortable. 

His thoughts were interrupted as you flung your arms around him. Sans wrapped his arm around you as you nuzzled into him, pressing your cheek against his clothed rib cage. He said the first thing that came to mind, "*don't ride your bike at night, kiddo." He pressed his mandible against the top of your head as you murmured something he couldn't hear. He looked up at his brother, who was studying the two of you closely. Sans shrugged at him, but the look Papyrus gave him suggested that Pap knew better. 

Maybe if he went away for a little bit, these feelings could go away? He didn't know it, but you were thinking about leaving, as well. Your heart was thudding wildly in your chest, and you couldn't do anything to stop it. As much as you had denied it, you did like Sans in that way. You had a crush on a living skeleton, someone who you knew could never return the feelings, and it stung. You still had vacation days, you never used any of yours no matter where you worked, and although it would hurt to leave your animal friends, your wonderful neighbors, and the friends you loved, it would be nice to clear your head and rid yourself of this silly little crush. 

Sans felt you shudder in his embrace, but you weren't moving away from him. After a minute, he tenderly grabbed your shoulders, knowing you had bruises on them, and pushed you away only slightly. "*hey, you _feline_ okay?" Your shaking ceased as you and Papyrus both let out a loud groan. "*what, not a fan of cat puns? i hear they're to die for, and if that's true, i got _eight_ left to tell you." You shoved away from him, rolling your eyes and shaking your head. 

The wind licked at your skin unpleasantly from the still-open door, and you asked if the brothers would like to stay for a bit. They eventually decided to pass, it was late and they were tired from all the running around they had been doing to find you. You asked why they hadn't checked the store, and Sans replied that they had. You must've been out with Reggie or one of the other dogs when they came around. 

Shutting the door behind them, you grabbed at your phone. Pulling up the thread between you and your boss, you quickly typed, 

**-Hey, boss man, I might actually be using those vacation days after all? I'll let you know when I decide whether I am or not, just letting you know in case I do. Thanks, and have a good night.-** You hesitated over the keys, wanting to tell him not to spend the whole night beneath a mound of paperwork, but decided against it. You sent the message as it was, and swiped over to Alphys, shooting her a quick text. 

**-Hey! Sorry, I know I just agreed to go hang out with you and Undyne, but I might be leaving soon? I don't know yet. I'll let you know when I do, though! I hope you have a great night, and I'll talk to you and Undyne later, okay?"**

She typed back quickly, sending her and Undyne's regards over. You almost began to text Papyrus, and when you decided not to, you almost went to Sans. Instead, you pocketed your phone and headed upstairs, turning in for the night just as the time slipped over ten thirty.


	8. Dogs are much too loud

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Filler chapter is ful _filling_
> 
> What have I become

The rash decision you had made last night only bloomed within you overnight, and within moments of opening your eyes the next morning, you found yourself preparing for your impromptu vacation. You had a little over three weeks saved up, plenty of time, you thought to yourself as you rummaged through your drawers and cabinets, pulling together possible outfits. You were never one for fashion, so your wardrobe was nearly colorless. You had no extravagant gowns, no frilly skirts nor flashy shirts. You had cardigans and sweaters, you had jackets and jeans. You had fluffy pants and comfortable sweatpants. You had band shirts from your teenage days, you had polo shirts and work outfits and the odd garment that was never worn. You had odds and ends, but just because you did not have a taste for fashion did not mean you didn't have an eye for it. 

You knew what worked, you knew what didn't. You pitched your favorites out of the bunch, sending a dull rainbow over your shoulder. Shades of gray, volumes of black, a spark of blue here and then from the jeans, the occasional flare of color that came with some of your shirts, and that was your little rainbow. The clothes flew onto the bed as you tossed them, landing near the edge or in the middle of the covers. When you felt you had enough for the three weeks, you would reuse some of the outfits no doubt so no need to pull out twenty one different outfits, you admired your work. Your bed was covered in a mish-mash of fabric, of which you would sort out later. You would complete the week's work, no need to bid a hasty farewell until after it was done. 

You walked over to your pillow and snatched up your phone. You checked the time, you still had three hours until you had to start preparing for work. You woke early to give yourself enough time to prepare what you would need. By packing early, you would give yourself until Friday to make a list and check to see if you had absolutely everything. You didn't want to be dashing around last minute. Satisfied with the small collection resting upon your covers, you turned away and marched out your bedroom. The air held a foreboding chill to it, but you didn't mind. Your flesh was freckled with angry goosebumps that demanded to be covered, but your blood was hot, and your eyes burned enough to warm your entire face. The cold meant nothing to you now. 

You wandered over to your front door before pulling it open and exiting your home. The air outside sent a deep shudder to run through you, but you didn't mind. Before closing the door fully behind you, you made sure you had your keys, and you did. You walked carefully over to your garage, there was absolutely no need to wake up your neighbors, and in the dark of night, where silence all but prevailed, your footsteps sounded like drumbeats. It took some time, as you tried your best to silence your steps, but at last you stood before your garage. Sliding the key into the slot and twisting it, you lifted the heavy door and entered, vaguely wishing that your garage was attached to your home instead of being separate. You shrugged off the thought, your home was lovely, and headed inside. Once there, you clicked on the motion sensor which would alert you if anyone was outside, and you wandered deeper in the large space.

You absently patted your bicycle as you moved passed it, eyes trained on the machine in front of you. You slid your fingertips over the hood of your car, which you hadn't used for the better part of a year. Its sleek black interior was slightly dusty, not using it didn't mean not caring for it which you did every other month, and the grime stuck to your fingers. You smiled at it, although not fondly. You hated this car. It was expensive, it was flashy and beautiful, but it was not you. It was a reminder of your success, which you should have been grateful for, but it left you empty inside. In many ways, your success was a curse, a crown that was glued to your head and could never be taken off. You had given up wishing that you'd never tried so hard, you had a simpler life now, and although your house was a bit more than you wanted, it was not extravagantly decorated, and was only a small reminder of the simple life you had left behind because of your ambition. 

You used the key that only ever sat on your key chain, it being used as much as the car, and slid into the car once it was unlocked. Your eyes closed as you clutched the steering wheel tightly. The car smelled like dust and expense, a show of the blood, sweat, and tears that had gone into getting it. Your house smelled like that briefly, but now it smelled like home. You had doubted you would use the car so much that it would, too, feel and smell like somewhere you wanted to be, but perhaps the vacation would do that. You couldn't exactly bring your bike everywhere. 

You opened your eyes and stared forward, gaze constantly roaming over to your bike before snapping forwards. Shivers tickled your skin but your goosebumps burned back into your skin. You were not cold, just slightly lonely. You had once been surrounded by friends, but they were fake. You knew people were reaching out to you now, but it seemed the only ones who were sincere were your coworkers and the monster friends you had made, the others were just vying for your attention to help themselves. You sat ramrod straight in the seat, not wanting to recline back into the cushions. 

You shook slightly, small tremors shaking your body like tiny earthquakes. First your fingers twitched, and then your left hand began to shudder, and then your arms shook as if a great weight had been placed on them. Finally, your entire body was in movement, and you decided to get out of the car. You had done what you came to do, you didn't need or want to stay any longer. You slid out of the seat, shutting it as quietly as you could while also making sure it was firmly closed. You locked it again, the headlights illuminating briefly before growing dark again. 

You slunk out of the garage after turning off the light and motion sensor, pressing back into your home. Deep chills bit at your skin, but you knew it was not from the cold baring down upon your exposed arms. After locking the door, you floated into the kitchen and began to prepare a regular green teabag, not wanting to fancy yourself in the delight that came with the fish-shaped ones. You were not big on tea previously, but after a few more cups of various different monster teas, you had stocked up on some human brews for when you wanted the flavor but not the intense energy that came with drinking an underground tea. 

As you waited for the kettle to warm on the stove, you retrieved your phone from upstairs and brought it to the kitchen, where you now busied yourself. In between playing various games and flying through levels quickly, you began to rearrange your kitchen. It had been slightly disorganized after Papyrus' last culinary adventure, one of the many reasons you did not give the skelebros copies of the key to your home, but it was an easy fix. Within minutes, your kitchenware was back to where it should be, and your tea was cooling on the kitchen table. 

You idly thought to make some food, but decided against it. That would leave you wanting more by the time work came around, and you didn't want to overeat. You continued to play through your games, flipping to another when your lives ran out. Eventually you settled on a Pac-Man knock off, you were good at it and you didn't have to pay or wait a crazy amount of time for another game if you lost. Your kitchen was filled with the sounds of the game's "Waka-Waka-Waka", slurping, and the occasional looping sound of a ghost dying. Your phone was not on Do Not Disturb, nor was it on vibrate, but the notifications were set to not make noises as you played. They popped up on the top of your screen but didn't bother you terribly as you coursed through the levels. 

It was early, no one who wanted your attention was going to pester you until later. It was currently a quarter to five, so you figured you had at least another hour before your phone would begin to blow up. Calm, warm inside and out, and slightly amused, you allowed time to slip by you. You were surprised to get a text notification five minutes to five. You saw the bubble pop up on the top of the screen, but you were chasing ghosts, and ignored it until it went away. It was only when you lost your last life at a score you were particularly proud of what you switched over to your messages. 

Your heart sped up slightly as you read the contact name, Lazybones. Clicking on the thread, you weren't shocked to find the message to be short. 

**-you up?-** You pondered whether or not you should answer now or later, forgetting that he could see if you opened his message or not until he sent another text. 

**-you are. cool.-**

You considered shutting down the thread and going back to your game, but that would have been rude. You were already not telling him or his brother than you were planning on leaving, the least you could do was respond. Setting the phone down to wrap both hands on the lukewarm mug in front of you, you lifted it to your lips and hummed as the last of the warm liquid dripped into your throat. Once done, you turned your full attention back to the texts that waited for you. 

**-Yeah-** It was lame of you to respond with only one word, but he had already answered his question, what else could you say? You waited for him to respond, and when he didn't within five minutes, you shut off your phone, picked up the mug, and took it to the trash. After throwing away the used teabag, you went over to the sink and washed the mug. By the time you had finished, three minutes had passed and a text sat waiting. 

**-Princess, Orange, and Looks say hello and good morning. i do too-** You waited for a second as the attachment loaded, smiling to yourself as a picture of the three fish popped up. You swiveled to look down at the kitchen floor, snapping a quick picture of the tiles. 

**-Tell them I say 'Good Morning', and good morning, Sans. My dog says 'Hello', and 'Good morning' to you all, as well. Or, at least, it would. If I had one.-**

**-your dogs cute whats its name-**

**-Currently calling it Air Bud. After the movie, and because it's a buddy made out of air-**

**-nice-**

You weren't sure how to respond, but luckily, you didn't have to. 

**-what are you doing up so early-**

**-don't ask me why i am i just am-** You decided not to be truthful. 

**-I just woke up early, I guess-**

**-don't lie to me-**

You started at that, eyeing the message. Frowning, your teeth worried at your bottom lip for a moment. You began to click a response, but once again, he beat you to it. 

**-what are you doing-**

**-Sitting at my kitchen table.-**

**-can i come over-**

**-wait no-**

**-Pap just woke up and its prob too early for you to hear his yelling-**

**-I was going to deny your request anyway-**

**-harsh-**

**-I'm a little busy right now, sorry-**

**-doing what sitting at a table-**

**-Yes-** You had momentarily forgotten that he didn't know you were leaving shortly. You rose from your chair and slid it in once you stepped away from it, mentally going over what you wanted to pack. 

**-i said don't lie to me but ok-**

**-wanna hear a pick up line-**

**-Sure, Sans-** Honestly, you'd rather not. Your lips curled into a deeper frown than they were already set in as you made your way upstairs to check on your supply of hygiene care. You would probably buy more for the trip anyway, but if you had plenty, there was no need. 

**-is it autumn because i beleaf i'm fall-ing for you-**

**-That was awful, and it's Winter-**

**-buzzkill-** Your hands drifted over the shelves of your cabinet as you skimmed over your supplies. You were good on toothpaste, as you had another box. Your brush was fine and could probably last a few hours in a suitcase until you got to wherever you were headed once you decided. You had a couple boxes of soap and some small lotion bottles you could throw in there too, though you'd have to be very careful and bag the bottles, just in case. You spared a glance at your phone, which sat on the side. 

**-i didn't tell Pap you were awake-**

**-yet-**

**-he wants to blow up your phone though-**

**-Alphys told him something very interesting-**

Your blood froze at that. Alphys was a good enough friend, she certainly wouldn't have aired your business so quickly, would she have? You responded anxiously, your jitters forcing you to delete errors that littered your text. 

**-Oh yeah? What's that?-**

**-that we're having a movie night on Fri-** You let out a loud gust of air in relief, clutching your hand to your chest. 

**-she said she invited you to come but said you said you might be busy-**

**-what would you be busy doing** Satisfied that you knew what you needed from the store, which was two bottles of shampoo and conditioner each, you closed the cabinet and took your phone over to your bed. You sat on the edge of the bed that was not currently littered in clothing, a feat considering clothes was thrown all over the bed. 

**-and don't lie to me by saying you don't know-**

**-I don't, though.** You wondered vaguely if he could see through your lie as obviously as you could. **I just didn't want to make plans and have to cancel them if I did happen to be busy-**

The light of your bathroom was still on, you had been reluctant to turn on the bright bedroom lights and settled with that instead. It cast the room in shadows aside from the small portion of the room it lit up, and you got up to turn on the lights you hadn't wanted to earlier, flipping the light switch in the bathroom before checking your phone again. There were no new messages. You started up a new game of the Pac-Man knock off at half passed five, not receiving another text until just before you entered the shower. 

**-ok-** He knew you were lying. You knew that he knew. You tried to brush it off as you washed up, but you could feel your lies crawling up your back. You wanted to tell the truth, you were a poor liar now that you hadn't had to lie in some time. Still, you stayed determined, and when you stepped out of the bathroom clean, dry, and dressed, your resolve was strengthened. 

You were leaving Thursday, tomorrow, night. You'd say goodbye just before you did, to Alphys, to Undyne, to Pap and Woshua and Napstablook and to all of your other friends, and you would say goodbye to Sans. You would likely hold off until you were in the car and about to pull out of the driveway, it was selfish, but necessary. You needed time to think, you didn't want to be talked out of this. 

You snatched up all of the belongings you would need for the day, making your way downstairs to grab an apple before heading off. You thrust your wallet, keys, and phone into your pocket after silencing it. You'd gotten a few messages from Pap, which you dutifully responded to, but other than that, your notifications had been mostly empty upon exiting the shower. You finished the apple and threw the core into the trash, making a mental note to throw out your trash before you left. No need to come back to that mess. 

You waved goodbye to Undyne, who was doing push ups in her yard with Alphys, who you also waved to. You went about your business, getting your bike out and locking the garage back up. Your ride to work was uneventful, your sour mood rendering you unable to enjoy the sights and feelings, and you strode into the storeroom after parking. Your first clue that something was off, though, was the fact that the room was absolutely clean. Usually something needed to be tended to before you went out to the main floor. Shrugging it off as some good karma, you trudged on to the main floor. 

Your second clue appeared almost the second you walked out. The door barely had time to shut behind your heels before your boss was rushing over to you. His hands grasped at your slightly tender shoulders, pushing you back into the storeroom. "Sorry I didn't text you," He said your name. "You've been working so hard for the store, the owner and myself decided to let you leave early." You mentioned that you hadn't even started work yet. "No, no. Your vacation, you can get started on that." 

You turned to look at him with a blank stare as he practically shoved you out the door and back into the cold. "Four weeks, right?" No, three. "Well, take four. You work too hard, you deserve a break. Besides, that gives plenty of extra shifts to those who need it." You nodded slowly, your mind still not processing that you were practically being forced out of work for being..too good? You didn't understand. 

Your third clue showed up in the form of your boss accidentally pressing a sweaty palm over the back of your hand as he urged your forward. You looked down at it, and finally asked him what was going on. He let out a long sigh, his shoulders immediately drooping. "The store owner wants to see how much will actually get done without you here, so she wants you gone as soon as possible and for as long as possible. We can still send you payments?" You shook your head at that, you had plenty of funds. "Well, it's still a paid vacation. Just let us know where to send your checks, and it'll be done. I told some of your coworkers what the store owner wants, and they got to it immediately." So that was why the storeroom was clean. 

You were usually the first one there, aside from your boss, of course, but you guessed not today. The store owner only showed up to unlock the door on the odd occasion, but left soon after, so you weren't sure if she counted or not. Your boss was looking at you expectantly, waving in the direction of your bike. "Uh..well...If you're sure?" He nodded. "Don't worry about the checks, then. Use them on animal supplies or give it to someone who needs it but can't work as many shifts." He moved to protest, but you lifted a hand. "I'll be fine, don't worry." You walked over to your bike, pulling it out from behind the dumpster and draping a leg over the one side. With your foot still on the curb, you looked up at your boss. "Well, I guess I'll see you later?" 

He nodded and moved to head back inside. "See you in a month from Friday!" Waving at you one last time, he disappeared back inside. You stood there for a minute, and then two, feeling slightly numb. You didn't even get to say goodbye to Reggie or Max. Or any of your animal friends. After three minutes, you kicked yourself off, starting to pedal. Once again, the sights didn't catch your eyes as you swept passed the streets you wouldn't see for over a month. You really should have taken them in, you wouldn't be able to do that while in your car, but you were pulling into your driveway too soon, it was too late. 

You didn't bother to deposit your bike into the garage, instead letting down the kickstand and pressing into your home absently. Once inside, you wandered around for a few hours, packing three suitcases. One medium-sized one for clothing, adding a few more outfits for the sudden extension, one small one for hygiene care and some boxes of tea, and one small one for pillows and blankets. You certainly would not be using hotel bed sheets or covers. Once done, you changed out of your work clothes. Settling on a light sweater and jeans, pulled on sneakers and walked downstairs. 

You swiped through your notifications, finding nothing interesting, and unlocked your phone. You opened the YouTube app and played the "If" album by Mindless Self Indulgence that you had been jamming to earlier this week. You went through the whole album twice before you stood to prepare the car. You were about to turn off your phone when you noticed a series of texts from a particular skeleton, the very one you were fleeing from. 

**-hey what did you say the fish ate again-**

**-i gotta pick up stuff anyway i'm coming over to the store-** You knew what was coming next, dread congealing in your stomach. You scrolled down, reading with muted horror as your lies came crashing down around you. 

**-here-**

**-where are you-** That was sent half an hour ago. You read as you picked up the suitcases, slinging the two smaller ones beneath your one arm. They were small enough that they fit, but large enough that it was difficult. 

**-uh, hey, why is your boss saying you're not coming in for a month-**

**-why is he saying that you're going on vacation for a month-**

You hurried out the door. That was sent five minutes ago. You hefted the garage door open, nearly shoving your bike in carelessly as you quickly dashed over to your car. Sans was fast, too fast. He would be here soon, you knew it. Throwing your belongings in the trunk, you slammed it shut and smashed into the front seat, starting the car and pulling out. You could see your neighbor's kid gawking as you ran out and shut the garage door, locking it up. There was no time, no time at all. You could text your friends later. 

You were shaking violently, now. You buckled yourself in, metal rattling for a moment before securing in the slot. Starting the car, you nearly floored it when someone tapped on your window. You shrieked, embarrassed by your action as you turned to find Undyne staring at you. "Nice car, Human! Why haven't I seen it before?" Not wanting to be rude, you responded shakily. Your phone lit up from the passenger seat where you had tossed it. He was close now, dammit. You could feel it. 

You couldn't contain your shaking, and Undyne, seeing you were in a rush, bid you a hasty farewell. You told her to send your regards to Alphys. You were normally such a calm person, what was wrong with you now? You didn't even glance at your phone as you bumbled out of your driveway, ignoring the way it lit up as someone called you. Your fingers were clenched tight around the wheel, and you were shaking like a leaf, but you pressed on regardless. You were a safe driver, you told yourself. You hoped it was true enough even in this state. 

Your phone lit up again, and you looked over to see that Lazybones was calling you. Resisting the urge to bite at your lip, you reached over and slid to answer the call, quickly clicking the speaker button. Your name was growled through the phone, and Sans was asking where you were. "*i'm at your house right now, Undyne said you just left. where are you?" You flashed your teeth as you grimaced, throat clogged by your heart. "*are you driving? why the...why did you pick up if you were driving?" You choked out a guttural response. 

You could feel his anger subsiding to concern, feelings you didn't want to feel wrapping around your heart. "*...i didn't even know you had a car..." He called out your name again, making it sound like the most important thing in the world with his deep voice. You sighed, coughing your heart back to where it belonged. "I'm..I'm fine, Sans. Really." You just need time to think. "I just need time to unwind." You just need to stop having feelings for one of your best friends. "I'm okay, really." 

"*don't lie to me." His words had a slight snarl to them. You could hear Papyrus in the background, wondering if he was with Sans originally, or Sans had somehow gotten back to his home before you could get out of town. "Hey, uh, Sans?" Your voice sounded so small, you hated it. "Tell me a joke?" 

He was silent for a few seconds. "*you shouldn't be on the phone if you're driving." 

"You're not hanging up, though?" You hated to be rude, but you were nervous as all hell. You finally turned out of your town, having long since abandoned your neighborhood. You heard the jingle of keys coming through the line, and you winced. You asked him if he was planning on following you, to which he replied, "*no. i plan on bringing you home." His words sent a rush through you, churning your stomach in that unpleasantly pleasant way you weren't accustomed to. "You can't do that if you don't know where I am," You started, but he quickly cut you off. "*i'll find you." 

You reclined in the seat as you slowed down, a red light coming up. You were calming down, no longer shaking. You were confident he could find you, in a month when you returned. The thought send a new wave of spirit-lifting delight through you, but you crushed it. This is what you were leaving to get rid of. You wondered if that meant you had to stop talking to him for a month. You doubted highly that he would have allowed you to do that. That led you to the thought that maybe you would have to cut ties with all of your friends for a month? Alphys was smart, she could track you. 

No, you decided. Alphys wouldn't do that unless you did stop talking to her and she got worried. "Sans?" You asked again, beginning to move forward again as the light turned green. "*why did you leave without saying goodbye to anyone? Undyne thought you were just taking a ride. i know you're not coming back." Your nose wrinkled softly, and you laughed. "I was going to, but then boss man said to go earlier, and I was already packed and-" "*you could've left whenever you wanted. you could'a taken the time to say goodbye. easily." Your voice died in your throat. 

You continued on, driving in silence for nearly half an hour. "*what kind've joke do you wanna hear?" A smile quirked at your lips. You told him whatever type of joke he wanted to tell, "*i got pick up lines. plenty. wanna hear some?" 

"No, sorry," You didn't think your heart could take it. "*okay." He was silent again, and that carried on for another fifteen minutes. At the next red light, you plugged your phone into your car charger, it having nearly died. "*i'd be bad at any rights movements, _those parades are too much walking for me_ ," He started. It was bad, but you didn't mind. "*what did the sea cow say when she saw a shark eat a school of fish?" You asked him what the sea cow said. "*oh, _the humanatee_." You snorted at that, asking him for more. 

"*what does the baby computer call his father? _data_." You laughed openly at that, keeping your eyes trained on the road. "*the past, the present, and the future walk into a bar. it was _tense_." You laughed a little harder at that one, calming down as you maintained control of your vehicle. "*what did the skeleton say to his friend who took off like her neighborhood was on fire?" You stilled. "* _i miss you_ " 

Your expression become a downcast one. "That wasn't a joke, Sans," You could almost hear him nodding. "*yeah, you're right. that wasn't funny." A pause, "*i miss you a skele _ton_." 

Silence overtook the car ride once more. Neither of you made a move to say anything, but neither of you moved to end the call either. Another half hour passed, and you were two hours from home. You didn't know where you were, nor did you know where you were going. The night had taken over the day, and the skies were dark and cloudy, as if sensing your trepidation. They didn't look like rain clouds, though, so you figured you were okay. Your fingers tapped your steering wheel, and you hummed a random song that sounded as sad as you felt. You almost asked Sans what you should do about your car, it was a very expensive model and would definitely catch attention wherever you went, but decided against it. He didn't need to know what you were driving if he was still looking for you. 

Your car began to ping every ten seconds, letting you know you had a little gas. You informed Sans of that, who didn't reply. You pulled into a gas station and exited your car, leaving your phone on. You pumped a few gallons into your car quickly, paying the amount with a credit card you hardly used. Once done, you went back into your car and began to start it back up when Sans finally asked, "*where are you?" You pulled out, glancing at the gas station you had been located at for the better part of ten minutes. It was an Express Mart. "I don't know." 

You could hear his cry of outrage even as he pulled his phone away from him to reduce the sound. "*what do you mean you don't know?" You shrugged, continuing down a highway without stopping to look at the signs on the side. "I've just been driving." He sounded really angry, now. You told him you would know where you were when you decided to stop. "*are you going to tell me where that is when you do?" You told him he'd likely be asleep by the time you did. "*no. i'm not going to sleep until i know where you are. dammit, i knew i should have kept trying." He told you that Papyrus needed his car back to get to work, and you asked Sans how he was going to get to work on time if he was tired. "*not knowing where you are will keep me awake." You glanced at the clock installed in your dashboard. It was only nine thirty. It felt like it was later. 

Your thoughts ran over to a couple of weeks ago, when you and Sans were laying in the grass making stupid puns about canines. You tried to think about a few of your favorites, the memories sending rushes of happiness through you once more. You didn't try to squash them down, though. You settled on the overused labracadabrador. "Sans, if I get a dog, I think I want a lab. I'll name it Magic and-" "*--it'll be your _labracadabrador_." He finished. You smiled fondly. "Yeah," 

Tears began to well in your eyes suddenly as you thought about how ridiculous you were being. You were running away from your problems, which weren't eve problems because they were just feelings. People had feelings all the time. You had feelings all the time. So what if they were romantic, and for one of your best friends? You must have been sniffling because Sans asked you if you were okay. "Y-yeah, I just..ugh.." You wanted to tell him. And so you did. "I'm being so stupid right now, aren't I?" He agreed. "I'm just run-..driving..I'm just driving away from something that isn't even bad." 

"*what are you running away from?" You didn't want to lie to him, but you also didn't want to tell him the truth. You didn't want to make him uncomfortable, and you felt pretty uncomfortable about the whole thing, so you could only imagine how he would feel about it. Oh, hey, Sans, I like you. We should date. Pfft, yeah right. He would hang up right there and then. You told him not to worry about it, but he only pressed further on the issue. You were three hours from home, now. "Sans, tell me another joke?" He said he would, if you told him what was wrong and where you were. "Please?" He let out a loud sigh and told you to hold on. 

You could hear as he walked through his home, which you had yet to visit, and you heard a small click of what you could only assume to be a door. You listened as he shuffled, his slippers sliding across a carpeted floor loudly, around. He told you he was plugging his phone in, and then you heard the sound of a mattress creaking loudly. He huffed a bit more, and you figured he was getting comfortable. "*where does the king keep his armies?" 

"Where?" You breathed out, slowing your car down just a bit as you slid before another red light. "* _up his sleevies_." You giggled, telling him that that was kind of cute. He hummed in response, and you could tell he was smiling. You wanted to get settled soon, and began scouting the signs for word of a hotel anywhere near. You were again worried for your car, you would be staying there for a month and sometimes temptation won you over, you had no doubt it would win over someone else. You verbalized your thoughts absently, not realizing you were speaking until the thought had ended and Sans spoke up. "*let me know where you are when you get there. i'll come, spend the night with you so you're not alone, watch over your car, and we can head back in the morning." 

You rolled your eyes. He didn't know it, but you were taking this vacation to get away from him, not sleep with him. You colored at the thought, mentally backtracking. Sleep with him as in the same hotel room! Not...that...Skeletons couldn't even do that! You finally located a Motel 6 in what looked to be a safe neighborhood and began to head towards it. "I found a hotel, the area looks safe. I'll be okay, I'm only staying a month." You heard Sans snort at that, but you didn't answer him when he asked what hotel and where. "I'm safe." You reassured. You parked your car in front of a security light just as Sans growled, "*you're not staying there a month. what if Pap wants to see you? Undyne? Alphys? Napstablook? you know, your friends?" Silence filled the car once again, but only for a minute. "*you're not running away from us, are you?" 

You immediately exclaimed that no, you were not! You just needed to get out of that neighborhood, leaving out that you needed to get away from him, for a little while. You scowled as the words left your lips, but your resolve was strengthened. You shut the car off and let him know that you were heading inside. You were four hours from home, now. He told you to stay on the phone with him, which you obliged, but only just. You turned off speaker mode and hunched your shoulder to press your phone to your ear. You went out in the cold hair and went around, living the trunk and taking out your suitcases. You had forgotten to pick up what you needed along the way, and silently cursed yourself as you shut the trunk. You locked the car, knowing the alarm was activated already, and headed inside, luggage in tow. 

You checked in and picked up the keycard for Room 21, and began to get settled in your temporary home. You turned it back to speaker mode, talking to Sans as you inspected the room. It didn't look dingy, and the sheets looked fine, but like hell were you taking your chances. You set out your own supplies, hoping you wouldn't have to get rid of the bed sheets and pillows after this little trip, and then unpacked the rest of your suitcases. From your room on the second floor, you could clearly see your car, thankful for choosing that place to park and making a mental note to park there from now on, or at the very least within a few spaces of that spot. Sans was murmuring jokes into the phone, obviously tired. 

You thanked him for talking with you, reassuring him again that you were safe. He grumbled that he wanted you to be safe at your house, but you shushed him. It was nearly midnight now, and you knew Sans had work early in the morning, usually taking off before you. "Sans, I'm really really tired, now," You faked a yawn, which was pretty convincing apparently because Sans began to mumble to you that you should get some rest. "Goodnight, Sans. I'll talk to you later?" Tomorrow, he told you. You would talk to him tomorrow. You told him that you might, but he quickly informed you that you most definitely would. "Goodnight, Sans. I'll talk to you tomorrow." He seemed satisfied at that. "*goodnight," He whispered your name in a tired moan, sending shivers up your spine. "*sleep well. i miss you. we miss you. talk to you tomorrow." 

You were the one to end the call, becoming uneasy as silence fell over you. The hushed room felt almost haunted to you, and the bed felt alien as you laid down upon it. It felt as though it wasn't even real, even as you pulled your covers over you to beat back the chill. You stared up at the ceiling, trying to trace patterns but nothing came. 

You laid like that until the sun rose, not having rested a bit, and sincerely regretting your irrationality.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was originally 3k words. 
> 
> That obviously didn't last.


	9. And dogs shed and growl and are a mess

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter is short

Arms sprawled above you, you silently listened to the phone by your ear as it hummed, the person on the other side laughing warmly. He was laughing so hard he could barely get a word out, but that laugh sent shivers up and down your spine that felt so nice, you couldn't bring yourself to mind. "*wait, wait, i gotta'nother one. who's larger, Mr. Bigger or his baby?" You guessed the baby, and when he asked you, you said you didn't know. It seemed like the right answer because it didn't, logically speaking. "*the baby, he's a _little Bigger_." That sent Sans howling, audibly moving away from the phone so as not to be too loud. You followed suit shortly after, a bit quieter. The walls were better in terms of carrying sound than other hotels you had stayed in, but that didn't mean you wanted to test your neighbors. 

It was the third day since you had left, and despite your best efforts, you couldn't separate yourself from Sans for very long. You had been very blatantly ignoring him on the first day, but you were kind of busy. Between texting all of your other friends to let them know, attempting to console a distraught Napstablook and a very angry Papyrus had been challenging and time consuming, getting to know your new neighbors, shopping for what you had forgotten to grab the night prior, scouting out the area, and a whole other activities, you couldn't find the time of day to give Sans more than one word responses. He knew you were safe, he knew you were fine. He'd understood, but only after you called him to explain. 

The second day had gone considerably better for you. Knowing the area a little better, you were able to find a lovely little restaurant that had the most darling waitresses and waiters. Sans had been less enthusiastic to hear that for some reason, but you'd shrugged it off. You'd told him about the sights you had seen, only vaguely, as not to give him clues to where you were. In turn, he'd given you details on how things were faring on his end. He'd even stopped by the store for you and let you know how Reggie was doing. Reggie was fine, if not a bit sad when Sans told him you weren't coming in for a little bit. Sans told you that the dog understood completely and absolutely demanded that you come back immediately, which you laughed at. 

It was now the third day, Friday. Considering how poorly you were doing at ignoring Sans to try and get over this silly little crush, having texted him throughout the entire day, you thought about packing up and just heading back. You missed Max, Sans hadn't checked up on him yet, and you really wanted to see Reggie for yourself. You got to speak to Papyrus, at least. He'd called, but the two of you talked more yesterday after he overheard Sans laugh your name. You couldn't talk to him tonight, as he had gone to that movie-anime-Mettaton-sleepover you were missing. Sans had opted out, using work as an excuse, but you figured it was more to talk with you in private, likely to try and gain some idea of your location. Your resolve was steadily weakening, but you were determined. Besides, not having to deal with Richard or Linda certainly was relaxing. Breaking your thoughts, Sans spoke up again, having calmed down from his laughter and returning to his place beside the phone. "*whatcha call a fish with legs? a _tuknee fish_! like, tuna fish, but _two-knee fish_." You rolled your eyes. It was late, you were exhausted, but you could still get a joke just fine. "Joke's are less funny when they're explained, Sansy," 

The nickname slipped through your lips before you could stop it, and you let out a loud gasp, bringing your hands to cover your lips. On his end, Sans had stopped laughing, and was staring at the phone through heart-shaped pupils. He leaned closer to it, ignoring the paper that it sat atop, where he had written down all the little landmarks and clues you had given him. Your contact photo was the background of the call for him, and he looked at your flushed face, frozen in that selfie he had taken with you when he worked the night shift with you. Truthfully, it was also his home screen. He'd nearly made it his lock screen image, too, but thought you might see it some time and would be disturbed by it. 

"Wh-whoops!" You giggled nervously, "Uh...uh..Sans?" Silence. "What did the over excited gardener do when Spring came?" Silence. " _He wet his plants_." Silence. "Sans? I'm sorry, I didn't mean it, I won't call you it ag-" 

His voice was a husky groan, effectively killing your words before they came, "*say it again." You turned over one of your hands, both of which were still covering your face, and bit into your knuckle. You squeaked as he asked you to say it again, shaking your head. He can't see that, you inwardly chastised. "Nope," You finally managed, pulling your hand out of your mouth. Your heart beat wildly in your chest. "*fine. be that way." 

You let out a shuddering sigh, glaring up at the tiles above you. Oh sure, leave your comfortable, if a bit large, home, sleep on a dirty mattress, and totally ditch your friends to get over this silly crush. But oh, don't forget to give him cute little nicknames while you're at it. Smooth. 

"*why did Beethoven kill all his chickens?" He paused for a moment to allow you to ask why. "*because whenever he asked them who the best composer ever was, they said _Bach Bach Bach_." You snorted loudly. "How old was he when he killed these chickens?" "*i'unno. ninety-twelve. point two." You laughed loudly, slapping a hand over your lips to muffle the sound. "Beethoven was deaf by his forties, you snood." "*sue me." 

You hummed to yourself gently. Sans rested his hands behind his head, his phone sitting on his chest. After a few minutes, you were almost positive that he had fallen asleep, when he spoke up. "*i'm going to go drive four hours in every direction to find you, you know that, right?" Your heart ached at that. You rubbed the heel of your palm into your eyes. You squished a bit too hard, bright lights dancing behind your eyelid. "*because i miss you. a lot. i'm not the only one who does. you know that." You groaned, letting him know that you did know that. Just as you weren't telling him where you were, he was leaving out the fact that he already had a good idea of where you were. 

The two of you stayed quiet for a long time after that. Finally, you told him he should go to sleep, and he told you the same. You both huffed out, although playfully, a "Fine" in response. Before you hung up, as you'd always been the one to end the conversation, you told him that you missed everyone, too. You didn't add that you missed him. You were trying to get over this crush, and that wouldn't have helped. That might have pushed him away, and right now, you really didn't want that. You probably should have wanted the two of you to drift apart, it would help solve your problem, but you didn't, and you hated it. 

"Goodnight, Sans." 

"*i'll be _Shiba Inu_ later." You chastised him for reusing the old joke, which he said he could do the same to you for bringing up the labracadabrador two days ago. You laughed with him for another minute before telling him to have a good night again. You clicked the End Call button.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys are honestly so amazing <3 <3 <3 I thought you guys would stop reading because I keep giving you such long chapters, but then you guys tell me that you like stuff like that? <3 <3 <3


	10. And have you ever smelled a wet dog?

Eight days. For eight days, starting the day after your phone conversation the Friday before last, you ignored Sans. For eight days you looked at your phone and answered every notification but his. For eight days, you ignored his calls, his texts, his frantic grabbing of Papyrus' phone whenever you called the taller skeleton, for eight days you tortured yourself. You would have laughed at the word choice if it hadn't been exactly just that. You ached and your heart stung and those pleasant shivers of delight dripped into uncomfortable twangs, but you were closer to the goal of this unexpected vacation and you could just feel it. 

Tapping along to a song playing through your stereo speakers, you hummed at the thought of being closer to your goal. Your crush was fading, the fire was dying, you just knew it was. Your heart shuddered within you, sore and feeling broken from all the times you had to hear Sans yelp through the phone worriedly, from all the times you had to be silent or just outright end the call when he tried to call out for you, from all the times Papyrus and Undyne and even Alphys and Woshua told you how down he had been. They did not tell you that he was searching for you endlessly now, that detail was always left out. No one told you he was out there, having forced Papyrus to borrow one of Undyne's cars so he could use Papyrus' to find you, but you hadn't called any of them in two days for them to tell you that even if they planned on it. 

Undyne was not fond of texting, and Papyrus, his shock having subsided since the first week, settled for telling you about his day and how the store was faring without you. Max was well, a bit more irate than usual, but well. Reggie was in a near pitiful state, the thought tugged at your heartstrings every time Papyrus told you that, and in a constant mourning. The insect section was doing alright, though most steer clear of it, as they had when you left. Your coworkers were doing just fine, though there was a noticeable increase of staff for the shifts you usually worked. Your boss was doing fine, he texted you the occasional picture of one of your lovely animal friends getting adopted. 

Napstablook confided in you that he was so close to becoming corporeal that it sometimes took effort to leave the mannequin. He had been looking after your home in your absence, though you told him it was unnecessary. Apparently Linda has stopped coming around, stopping around the sixth day after you left. Your ghostly friend only stayed for about two and a half hours, give or take half an hour depending on how the day has been for him, but your house was doing well, and from what he could tell, your neighbors were getting along fine. Fine being war was not declared as of yet. 

Woshua, your charming pal, wasn't much for texting, similar to Undyne, but he made an effort. He'd involved you in a group chat with some of his other friends, who had said that they couldn't wait to meet you once you'd returned home. Woshua promised you a warm meal at whatever restaurant was decided, which you said you could pay for yourself, to meet them. Aside from that, he didn't talk to you much, giving a greeting every other day or so. 

Your mind wandered over to your other friends when your thought process was marred by the arrival of a strikingly familiar red sports car crossing into the lane beside you, which you caught by sight of your peripherals. You didn't want to look, oh stars you did not want to look, but curiosity won over. And so, on the thirteenth day of your vacation and the ninth day of ignoring Sans, you witnessed a very angry skeleton who was more focused on the road ahead than you. The top was down, but he didn't didn't seem to mind the rush of air pouring over him. If anything, it appeared to cool him down slightly. Currently, he looked as though if you poured water on him, it would evaporate instantly. 

You snapped your head forward, teeth snagging at your bottom lip. You were taken over by the thought that he could see you, one look over at your car and he would know. Which was ridiculous because your windows were tinted, your face covered by dark sunglasses to hide the harsh Winter sun, and he had no idea what your car looked like, but you felt as though if he looked to his right just once, you would be exposed to his unforgiving eyes. 

You were just coming back from a cute little cafe you had found on the seventh day of your impromptu vacation, and you wondered if you should head back. No, you told yourself. That would draw attention to yourself. You slowed as you came to a yellow light, knowing it would turn red before you could ever hope to race passed it. And so it did. You gulped a large breath of air, the sound echoing over your music, as you realized you had pulled directly alongside Sans. 

How was he so close? You hadn't been giving very good hints, right? You hadn't even talked to him for over a week! You watched as he used the time to dig at something in the seat next to him, his cellphone. He clicked a couple of times, and you were suddenly very thankful that you kept your windows closed as your ringtone began to chime loudly. You let out a string of curses as your music decided to end and the sound filled the car just as your intake of breath had, and you felt sure that Sans could hear it. You dug your phone out of your jacket pocket and quickly dismissed the call that was coming in. 

His face grew angrier, if that was even possible, and you let out a loud hiss as your phone burst into song once more. This time, you knew he was looking, acknowledging with horror in your eyes as he glared directly at your car. The light turned green, and you guessed he must have dismissed it because he sped off while you waited for the car in front of you to do the same. 

Once you were able to start moving, you realized with dread that you were still going in the same direction Sans seemed hell-bent on following. You'd wanted to head to your motel room for an hour or two before going out again, having made some new friends who didn't recognize you for who you were, which you absolutely did not mind. That didn't seem like it was happening, and so you turned right on the first turn that came up. You cruised the unknown streets for a few minutes, your car catching some unwanted attention as you went. The radio had picked up after your absolutely awful encounter at the traffic light, why it waited so long you didn't know, and you were nervously humming along to some trashy new single that had played six times since you left your home. 

You surveyed your options. You were low on groceries, not really, but if you pretended really hard you could ignore the fact that you went shopping two days ago. You could use a new outfit, not that you wanted one, or actually needed it for that matter, and picking out outfits took a really long time for you, no it didn't, but you could make it take a long time. You tossed up a few ideas into your head, negating them quietly while also heavily considering them, when your phone rang again. You were about to ignore it when you saw it was from THE GREAT AND MAGNIFICENT PAPYRUS. 

Hitting Accept and then the speaker button, you reached to your radio and turned the dial until it was off completely. "HUMAN!" Pap called out to you, and despite your situation, a smile crossed over your lips. "Yeah, Pap?" You passed under a long tunnel, only being illuminated by the dull orange lights. You felt like you were in a street racing game, your car no doubt looking the part. But you weren't going to race anyone, you are a safe driver, you told yourself. "IT IS I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS! HUMAN," You nodded along with his familiar words. "WHAT DOES YOUR CAR LOOK LIKE?" 

Your head stopped bobbing. Pap was too honest for his own good, but he tried to fix himself, "SA...UNDYNE WANTED TO KNOW WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE!" You reminded Papyrus that she had already seen it, to which he responded that she forgot. You thought to your car's glossy black exterior, "It's blue," the shiny gray rims, "With blue rims," and the Fiat emblem that decorated your Ferrari 458 Spider, "With a BMW logo on the back." You exited the tunnel, looking up at the graying sky briefly. Papyrus responded with a word of gratification so fast, you barely registered it after he hung up. Shrugging to yourself, you canceled out of the call from your end and shut off your phone, but not before pulling over and silencing that damned device. 

A drop fell onto your windshield as you began to drive again, and you took the long way to your temporary home after you pulled over yet again, texting to your new friends that a storm was coming and you didn't want to get caught in it. You plugged your phone into the aux cord and sang and danced to Studio Killers, bopping along to "Ode To The Bouncer" long after you had parked in your regular spot. You had arrived as it began playing, and no way were you leaving your car until it was over. You bumbled along to the song until the very end, noticing with slight annoyance at the rain, which had began to come down in sheets during your performance. 

Whether it was because of the rainy haze ensuring that you couldn't see two feet in front of your face, or maybe your annoyance blocking it out, or perhaps because you just didn't look around, you completely missed the red sports car sitting a few spaces behind yours. You exited the car, shutting the door quickly and racing over to the door. Pulling it open, you marveled at how you managed to escape almost totally, a few drips sliding down your cheeks and dampening your clothes. You waved to the woman behind the counter, idly noting how the keycard to Room 25 was taken. It had been vacant for a few days, and you felt bad for whoever had checked into it. The former residents were slobs, a group of frat boys looking for somewhere cheap to stay. You could have sworn on one night that there was a very cheesy sludge oozing from underneath that door. 

Oh well, not your problem. You'd welcome them as you had all your other neighbors, and that would be that. Hopefully they were nice. The boys were okay, but they were a bit sleazy, and their attempts to lure you into their room were, while flattering in the utmost unflattering of ways, disgusting. 

Deciding to stop and see if your new neighbor was in before heading to your room, you slid up in front of the door. The number glared at you ominously, as if it remembered all the times you turned down its former occupants, and you stuck your tongue at it briefly. Feeling foolish and thankful for the empty hallway, you lifted your hand and rapped on the door three times. You shuffled on your feet as you felt an eye on you, but you were not prepared for the door to be thrown open, nearly unhinging the poor thing. 

You looked up slowly from where you had been studying the door to see if it really had been torn from the doorway it was attached to, breath catching in your throat as you looked up at the very skeleton you had been successfully avoiding for over a week now. What you were sure was a look of surprise to start had dissolved into rage as he began to speak, "*Nine. Days." You didn't take the time to point out it had only been eight, this day wasn't over yet. Instead, you turned on your heels, calling out behind you, "Howdy, new neighbor! Welcome to the motel! Motel 6, actually! Well, it was very nice meeting you, neighbor, but I'd like to change out of these clothes, I got caught in the rain you see, and-!" You had begun to make a hasty exit in the opposite direction of your room, not wanting to lead him there when you planned to eventually walk back shamefully, when a bony hand reached out and caught your arm. 

Shoulders sinking, you tested his grip, tugging at your arm slightly, to which he responded by pulling back. He began to drag you into his room, but the smell wafting out was unbearable. "Wait! Sans, wait!" He looked over you, and you noticed his right pupil was missing. "Can we please go to my room instead? These clothes are uncomfortably wet, and I'd like to change. I can show you where it is or just give you the number, if you'd like!" He didn't look like he wanted to give your suggestion even a thought, but when you whimpered another "Please", he had given in. 

He forced you inside his room as he grabbed his keycard and slid it into his pocket. Your eyes watered at the overwhelming stench of what you assumed to be moldy pizza and unflushed toilets. After what seemed like an eternity in that room, when in reality it was only a few seconds, he let you lead him over to your room. You dug in your pocket for your own keycard, sliding it in the slot before pushing the door open. Sans kept his grip tight around your arm, dragging you over to your bed, plopping on the flat surface while glaring at you. You tugged at his hold, "Sans, I have to change. I can't do that while you're holding onto me." 

He stared into your eyes for a minute as if deciding internally that you were going to take off again, he warned you, "*if you leave this room, i will track you down." You nodded quickly, and he let go. While his hold on you had been firm, it had not been crushing, so your arm only stung slightly from when he first dug his fingers into the skin. His gaze on your back was a constant as you moseyed over to your dressers and picked out some matching pajamas, thankful that you'd been quick enough that the rain had not touched your undergarments, and so you needn't grab anything..else from your drawers. Standing with your clothes hugged tightly to your chest, you told Sans that you'd be changing in the bathroom, further trapping yourself in the web you had made. You began to walk towards the bathroom, Sans following you, as it was placed right next to the door. 

You gave him a smile, but it was hardly sincere, and his glare scared it off quickly. You slammed the door, locking it. You knew he would be waiting for you, but this was Sans, and you also knew he would not pressure you. Still, you did not waste time dallying. After you had stripped the wet clothes from your person and replaced them with warm fabric, decorated in little reindeer, you hesitated at the door. 

Sans was mad. Very, very, very mad. You trusted he would not hurt you, but you doubted he'd let you out of his sight, now. Twisting the lock, you pulled the door open. You had left your wet clothes on the floor, and moved to go pick them up when Sans again wrapped a hand around your arm. He'd been waiting outside the door, and one look at him sent chills. He was still extremely mad. You didn't wait for him to drag you to your own bed, walking there yourself. Once there, you waited for him to be seated, and he waited for you. 

Looking at the ground, you turned and sat down on the edge, and he flopped next to you. His hand moved from your arm to intertwine his fingers in yours, but still, you leaned from his touch. His voice rumbled from deep within, startling you with the sheer venom in his voice. "*Nine. Days." He was so angry, his words did not hold the lazy air that they usually did. You did not look up at him, keeping your focus on the ground. 

This moment was as odd as when Papyrus had been speaking in a normal inside voice. Sans nudged you with his elbow, but you kept your eyes down. He sighed loudly, releasing your hand. You thought he was going to pull away from you completely, as you had been inching away from him yourself, when he draped an arm around your shoulders. He wiggled his fingers until you lifted a hand and joined it with his. Satisfied, he pulled you even closer, resting his mandible on your head. "*i missed you." 

The sheer hurt in his voice, which had returned to its comedic lull, caused you to flinch. Hearing the pain in his strained voice snapped your resolve in the trash, and without the slightest hesitation, you turned into him, wrapping your arms around his middle as best you could. After a wheezing inhale, fighting back tears, you gasped, "I missed you, too!" You buried your face in his coat, afraid to look up at him for you knew your tears would break loose then. 

Both arms around you now, Sans hugged you tight against him. Eventually, he decided the position was too awkward, and he lifted you onto his lap to get closer to you. "*i missed you so much." He murmured into your hair, nuzzling you lovingly. "*don't ever do that again. ever." You released the breath you had been using to keep the tears at bay, but the liquid spilled over. The cold tears dripped out fast and your breath became ragged and uneven. 

His anger having been greatly reduced before, it was erased completely as you looked up at him with wet cheeks and even wetter eyes. You studied him for a moment before burying your face back in his jacket, "*i mean it. don't do it again," His voice struggled to keep a harsh tone, "*tomorrow i am taking you back home, and you are spending the rest of your vacation with Pap and Undyne and Alphys and whoever else is at home. you're not taking off again." You're not leaving me, he restrained from adding. 

The two of you stayed like that, you sobbing into his jacket and making it uncomfortably wet, and him not voicing that, but instead outlining the trouble you had caused him. "*fourteen days you did this to me-" You moaned louder, your throat quickly becoming hoarse and so it came out raspy, but Sans pressed on. "--if you include the day you left." You nuzzled into his jacket before moving your arms upward, hoisting yourself up on your knees to hug around his neck. He pressed his skull against your head, one hand leaving your side to press against the back of your head, phalanges curling into your hair. "*and you're gonna tell me why." 

You shook your head against him, but he nodded his. The two of you kept up your slight bantering back and forth, but he got the last word. You slipped from consciousness before you could mumble that you weren't. Carefully, Sans lifted you off his hips and carried you over to the center of the bed. It was a little cold, so he only covered you with one of the blankets you had packed. He looked over you once more, pupils, both of which had long since appeared, focusing on your sleeping face. 

He had finally found you. He'd been searching nonstop for a few days, following the clues you had given him before you had hopped off the grid. The reminder of your silence had him clenching his fists, and he was going to find out why you had done that, too. You were happy talking with everyone else, had he said something? He would find out when you woke up. For now, he trudged over to your door and let himself out, confident the two of you would talk tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys are really lovely and make me feel so happy <3 <3 So many comments stole my breath away with how happy they made me, thank you <3 <3 <3 What a beautiful way to start off my 2016 <3 <3 <3
> 
> EDIT 2/14/16   
> I read this chapter over because it used to be my favorite, and then I saw the mistakes and I made Sans seem like such a controlling little weirdo and omg   
> Why do you guys like this. I am ashamed of this! 3! Thanks for your support, even if it is trash <3!


	11. But dogs are loyal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time spent on chapter: 13hrs  
> Drafts of chapter: 23

As Sans trudged through the halls back to his room from yours, his mind swam as ravenously as the fish he was currently neglecting back home. Not that they were being neglected all together, Papyrus was more than happy to take the fish under his tutelage for as long as it took to find you. That thought started, Sans exhaled loudly at the thought of seeing his friends soon enough again, he had found you. He slid his keycard through the slot and pressed the door open. 

He found you. He found you. The thought hammered into his skull repeatedly, a sincere smile tugging at the corners of the already present one. He waltzed into his room, cringing slightly as a disgusting odor greeted him, and turned into the bathroom. He had packed lightly, meaning he hadn't packed at all, so he was going to have to use the soaps the motel provided and hope for the best. 

He turned at the knob in the dingy shower, releasing a heavy sigh when it sputtered for a moment, but after that, no water came out. Sans could tell something was clogging the faucet, probably the same thing stuck to the shower head, but he made no move to remove the gunk. He glanced at the yellowish sludge and decided that he could wait until tomorrow to shower. He'd been frantic in his search for you, only stopping tonight because he couldn't see anything in that rain. He would have likely continued on, scouring places you weren't located at, until you came home. 

Thank the stars for that shock of rain. The clouds hadn't promised rain, nor did the weather report app on his phone, but he didn't mind. As he slunk out of the bathroom, peering with wrinkled sockets at the sorry state of the bed he was supposed to be sleeping in tonight, Sans moved swiftly over to one of the chairs that looked like it had been untouched. Your room had looked clean enough, did you do that, or did he pull the short straw with Room 25? 

Sitting down on the hard seat, Sans turned his thoughts to you. He could still feel the panic that had come when you didn't answer anybody over a week ago, his relief when you began quickly dying out to betrayal as you ignored him. Every time you called Papyrus or he called you, you would answer, but you would never talk when Sans was handed the phone. You never answered his texts, you never even read them, dismissing them with so many others as they came up. 

No, he told himself. He'd found you, it's time to focus on the good. Like your voice, which sounded a bit gravelly over the phone, and how it send shudders down his spine. As he rested his hand against the heel of his palm, he thought about how husky it was when you were tired, he was hanging on your every word already, but that voice was so alluring. Though, he'd much rather hear it in person. His mind ran along the places he could possibly hear it, like if you were to fall asleep beside him someday while watching a show or something, or possibly next to him in whatever bed that you two would be resting upon? 

The image brought pleasant sparks down his body. His sockets lidded at the thought of having you to himself for an entire night, but he carried on to the next thing: Your laugh. It was so..You. It rang through his skull like a bell when it was genuine, and it set his very bones on edge when it wasn't. He'd heard it in person, unlike your low moans when you were tired. Your laugh was captivating, eliciting deep chuckles of his own whenever he heard it. He moved about every aspect of you, from your hair to your legs, and if he'd ever seen them, he would have likely included your toes in his thorough mental drawing of you. 

His soul ached within him, longing to mingle with yours. Sans placed a hand over his rib cage, pressing into the fabric of his jacket slightly. The room was empty aside from the occasional footstep in the hall, only carrying into his room when it was more of a stomp than a step. Pulling his phone out, Sans unlocked it and went to his pictures. He could see your face shining up at him, but didn't like how it was obscured by the various apps he had. He scrolled through his photos a bit before clicking on the selfie the two of you had taken together. 

He would make an album of entirely you once he had enough pictures. For now, he only had one, and he wasn't going to be creepy and go take pictures without your knowledge. His thumb ran along the curve of your hair, tapping at your face to zoom in. He'd looked at this photo so much in the last nine days, whether it was from calling you or going through his phone or just going through his albums to see it, that he could draw you if he wanted to. 

You were captured in that moment, a shocked expression painted over your features, a great contrast to his collected one. Despite not being prepared for the photo, you hadn't moved, and so it wasn't blurry. It was perfect. It was you. He shut off his phone and closed his sockets, leaning back into the seat and resting his hand on his legs. When he looked before shutting the phone off, he could see it was almost three in the morning. He had been reminiscing for a while, but that suited him just fine. He doubted he'd be able to sleep anyway, even if the aroma surrounding him hadn't been enough to make his soul retreat as far as it could.

He wondered if he should shower before hugging you? Because he was going to hug you. A lot. And for a long time. His arms twitched from where they sat against his side at the thought of holding you as he had last night, wanting to capture you against him again. Inhaling, he hugged his arms around himself as tightly as he would around you, feeling very much like a fool. He hummed gently to himself, a habit he had picked up during his long conversations with you. 

A sudden thought coursed through him, demanding to be given attention. And so he gave it. He had once heard that absence makes the heart grow fonder, and at that, he chucked the thought to the back of his mind. He didn't care if he liked you one hundred times more than he did now, he wasn't allowing you to just slip through his grasp like that again. But maybe it wasn't a one way street, the thought called out to him, maybe it would make you like him back? No, he told himself, ignoring the fact that he was arguing with himself, you were not getting away from him again. 

He didn't care if you never returned his feelings, which pounded in his bones like the very magic that held him together. He could handle rejection, and he could handle it well. He would stay by your side, he would make dumb jokes and puns and would attend sleepovers and Mettaton movie marathons, but he would not leave you. That thought holding firm in his mind, Sans laced his phalanges together and moved them to the back of his head, supporting it as he leaned back. 

Similar to how you did not sleep your first night there, neither did he. He kept his sockets shut, thinking about you while pointedly ignoring the last week. He went over jokes and memories the two of you had shared until dawn washed over his gross motel room, and he rose and walked eagerly over to the door, pocketing his keycard and car keys before he left. He didn't plan to come back into this room. He wandered through the halls until he found yours, Room 21, and he lifted a bony hand to rap at your door. 

You roused to the soft consistent knocks he made, groaning as you were brought from sleep. You felt worse than you had in months, your eyes were irritated and your body felt sluggish. Not connecting the knocks with the monster who it was, you threw your arm over your eyes and ignored it. It wasn't very loud if you ignored it. Sleep was your own personal siren at the moment, and you were fully prepared to fall back into its clutches. 

Whomever was at the door was persistent, though. After the first fifty or so knocks, they grew louder, increasing in volume every ten beats or so. You let out an unflattering groan, "I'm coming, I'm coming," and swept away the last vestiges of sleep as you rubbed at your eyes. Your fingers probed gently over the flesh beneath your eyes, and you were surprised to find that your cheeks were damp. You'd been crying in your sleep? You hoped the person on the other side of your door didn't mind. Their knocks were harsh now, Sans fearing that you had somehow escaped but was holding on to the idea that maybe you were in a deep sleep, and you slid out of your bed to answer them. 

Your slow pace was sped up a few degrees to cease that loud thudding sound, and you grabbed your door and threw it open. Sans pulled his hand, which had been poised in the air to knock again, into his pocket. You stared up at him as a relieved smile caressed his features, and without a thought, you slammed the door shut. Or, almost. His sneaker wedged in the door before it could shut the whole way. You watched in horror, having forgotten the events of last night in your tired stupor, as Sans pushed through the door. He looked slightly irritated, but his glare subsided as he took in your haggard expression. 

You took a few steps back, last night flooding back into your mind, and allowed him in. "Sorry, uh, Sans." You trailed off, not wanting to tell him that you'd forgotten about last night. You'd seen enough hurt in his gaze last night to last you a lifetime, and while your stomach churned at the memories, it absolutely protested the thought of seeing it again. His hand clapped around your shoulder, spinning you around, and he lowered himself so he could hug you and have your face be near his while doing so. He rubbed his cheekbone against the side of your face, his voice sounding impossibly close as you took in the fact that his teeth were placed right next to your ear. "*'s okay." 

He sat on the floor, dragging you with him, and sat with his back against the wall. He kept you as close to him as he possibly could, one arm slung around your waist and the other having found the crown of your skull, phalanges dragging through your hair absently. You stiffened in his grasp, about to return the affection, although to a lesser degree than his level, when something awful filled your senses and upset your stomach. You pushed away from him, "Sans, you need a shower." He looked down at you, you with your nose wrinkling and a cute little twist decorating your lips. Still, despite his no doubt abhorred stench, which he painstakingly realized he had gotten used to in his room, you did not remove your hands from his shoulders, where they were currently bunching the fabric of his jacket. 

You were impossibly cute. You were beautiful and you were striking and you were funny, and you were so many things, but right now, with that gentle scowl on your face and those furrowed brows, you were cute enough to give someone a heart attach. Without thinking, Sans leaned to brush a soft kiss on your forehead, slowly rising to his feet after you had crawled off his lap. He shrugged off the shivers that came with seeing your flushed cheeks. 

"*my shower is kind've gross. i was hoping i could use yours before we left?" Right. He wants to leave right away. You nodded, watching as he sauntered into your bedroom. He gave you a short wave before disappearing into the short room, shutting the door behind him. Once it clicked shut, it didn't sound like he was going to lock it, you made your way to your drawers and began to clear them out. You folded your clean clothing and separated your dirty garments, careful to leave out an outfit for today before packing your suitcases. You vaguely wondered if you could make it out if you sprinted. You entertained the thought as you zipped up your suitcases, making sure there was enough space for the stuff in the bathroom and your current clothing for after you discard it. 

You were doing a pretty awful job at keeping away feelings for the skeleton. You thought that they'd gone away after ignoring him for as long as you did, but with his sudden arrival came the tidal wave of emotions you really wish you'd lost. It hit you with an incredible force last night, and now? Your shredded heart was trying to force these feelings down your throat, as if for revenge. You choked up as you stood in the center of the room, forcing a lump down your throat as you considered your options. 

You could run. But he would catch you. Maybe you could toss your suitcases down to your car and home you didn't totally smash your windshield or dent the hood in the process, and then you could hightail it out of there. You weren't sure if he knew what your car looked like, but you had enough wealth about you that buying another one would be too easy. You itched at these thoughts, sifting through each idea briefly before finding a flaw, when you heard the shower turn off. It was too late, now. 

"*hey," He called your name through the door, and you went over. "*i didn't bring extra clothes so you're going to have to deal with this. i did my best to get the smell off me," You traced your fingers over the wood, letting him know that it was okay. You heard the door turning, and rushed back over to the bed where you immediately sat down. You watched with bated breath as he exited the bathroom, steam oozing out of the room like smoke. Sans slid into view, and your breath caught. 

His fingers were tangled in one of the motel towels, scrubbing gently at his vertebrae. He had an air of cleanliness and something else coming off him in waves, and when he looked into your eyes, you were stunned. One socket was partly closed, and as he moved his gaze over to you from the wall behind you, a deep fondness settled over his expression. A lazy grin curled over his teeth, as if he was pleasantly surprised to see you were still there, but his eyes, oh his eyes. They burned with an intensity that lit flames within you, making you feel as though you were the most valuable treasure in the world. 

Sans studied you silently from the other side of the view, taking in your beauty. He'd been unable to before, too busy satisfying the need to hold you close that had itched at him for hours while he reminisced, but he was appreciating it now. Your hair was frizzy and tangled with sleep in a way that was so impossibly beautiful, and your cheeks were flush with health and surprise, and your lips were curved in such an enthralling smile and..You were too perfect. The only thing that marred your beauty was the fact that your eyes were lined with irritation, a sign that you had been crying. 

Electricity shot through him like a lightning bolt as he saw you reach out your arms for him. He moved quickly over to you, taking your hands in his before sliding them along your arms. Once they began to slide over your shoulder blades, he pulled you in one of the biggest hugs he could manage without crushing you. "*why did you leave?" His voice sounded so pained, and your lips began to tremble. He couldn't help himself as he added in his own personal betrayal, "*why did you leave me?" 

"I was afraid." It took you a few seconds to register that that voice was your own. You pulled him tighter, pretending not to hear when he asked you what you were afraid of. His clothes reeked of something that was sure to make your stomach turn once you had food in your stomach, but for now, as gross as it was, you used it to lose yourself. He picked you up and moved so that he was the one on the bed and you were now seated in his lap. He ran his phalanges through your hair, tangling in the knots occasionally. "*what were you afraid of?" 

You didn't want to tell him that you still were afraid. You didn't want to tell him that you were afraid of ruining your friendship, your pun-ship, with him. You swallowed a lump that had grown in your throat, and pulled away from him, thankful you hadn't cried. "Heh, uh..I'm going to go take a shower, and then we can go, I guess." You moved to stand, but his hands moved to grip your hips, grounding you to him. Your eyes widened in shock and time stopped at his touch. The tips of his phalanges dug into your pajamas slightly, which then in turn pressed against your skin. 

You looked up to his face, not surprised when he suddenly leaned forward. You were surprised, however, to find his teeth against the corner of your lips. You both shuddered in delight at the accidental kiss, he had meant to press against your cheek but hadn't been focused in what he was doing. You both felt the vibrations of the other shaking, and you both assumed it was the opposite of what it was. "S-sorry!" You leaned away from him, a blush darkening your cheeks. 

Sans was just about to apologize himself, when he saw the quirk of your lips. You couldn't help it, you'd been aching for that sort of contact since you decided you liked him, much to your chagrin, and now that it happened you were practically bursting. Hands sliding from your hips to grasp at your waist, Sans pulled you in again. He closed his sockets, glad that Papyrus was not here to interrupt, and moved so that your lips were practically touching his teeth. He felt sure that you had some feelings for him, if that little smile you had revealed to him was any indication. 

On your end, you wanted to scream. You couldn't tell if you were failing or falling, and the uncertainty muddled your thoughts and threatened to steal this moment away from you. You found yourself helping him close the gap between the two of you, your lips just barely brushing against his teeth, when a loud bang from the room adjacent to yours chose that moment to make itself known. You jumped out of his lap as you heard grunts sound from your neighbors, but it quickly quieted down. Startled, and the moment gone, you excused yourself to the bathroom. Teeth worrying at your bottom lip, you thought about what had just happened. 

Stepping into the shower, you thought in barely suppressed delight about how Sans had nearly kissed you twice. Three times if you counted the one a few weeks ago, but that had been a joke. Your skin tingled where he had touched you, and you unconsciously rubbed at the skin as you washed the sleep from your body. It had already been scrubbed from your mind previously, but you wondered if that was true as you accidentally put shower gel in your hair. Your fingers tangled up in your hair as you washed away your mistake, and you breathed in warm vapor while you stared at the yellow wall in front of you. He looked like he was about to kiss you again. Like last time. But last time had been a joke, right? Of course it had been. You may have fallen for the skeleton, but you knew he only saw you as a friend. 

You repeated that to yourself as you pulled back the curtains and stepped out of the shower, water dripping from your body like rain as a storm of thought broke out in your mind. You spoke it aloud, though not loud enough for it to be heard, as you worked a brush through your hair. You hummed it, this time loud enough for Sans to hear a few of the words, as you cleared away the unpleasant stickiness in your mouth with some toothpaste and your toothbrush. Finally, you said it one last time in the mirror before gathering all of your supplies and heading out of the bathroom. You shot Sans a quick smile, shoving your belongings into their proper suitcase. 

"So, we really have to go today, huh? I know a few places.." You filled the room with your voice, but Sans hadn't been listening. You had repeated yourself enough times that each time he was able to pick up a few words, and after a few tries, he had the whole sentence down. You liked him. He watched as you continued to pack, stacking the suitcases when you were finished. You didn't seem to realize that he knew, as you continued talking, finishing up when you stood to look up at him. You opened your mouth to begin speaking again, noticing his intense expression, when he stood. 

I'm not going to do this here, he told himself as he strode over to you. I'm going to wait until we're home, and then we're going to talk. He shut himself up however, as he walked close enough to force you back a few steps. You pressed against the wall, smiling up at him nervously, had you done something wrong? Sans continued closer, his arms reaching out to trap you to that little section of wall before sliding closer still, so close that his forearm was firmly against the wall instead of just his hands. He wanted to remove one of his arms from where it sat planted on the wall, he wanted to cup your cheek and cradle it in his grasp, but he was not allowing this moment to pass by again. It had only been his forth attempt, if the second could even count as it had been accidental, and he was tired of waiting. 

But fate has ways of intervening, as you both found out. Loud knocks banged throughout the room next door, and while he would not have allowed it to hinder him as it had before, but you ducked beneath his arms and out of his hold. He watched as you slid away from him and gathered your things, tossing your blankets over your shoulder as they would not fit back in the suitcase. You balanced one suitcase, a small one that was swollen from the amount of dirty laundry and pillows you had trapped in it, against your hip, holding it there with your arm. You reached to pick up another one, internally yelling at your body as your heart soared and your stomach sloshed, when Sans took the remaining two, and then the one you were holding, in his grasp. 

"I can hold those," You started, moving to grab them, but he was already out of your reach and heading out the door. You glanced back in the room, grabbing the phone you had nearly forgotten on the bed, and raced after him. You trotted behind him, his strides were impossibly long for some reason, and you felt uneasy about his silence. His jaw was set and his eyes were trained forwards, and you barely stopped yourself from gnawing at your bottom lip again. You crowded into the narrow hallway next to him as best you could, before reaching out to tug on his sleeve. You asked him to slow down, and he did, but only a little. 

You checked out, returning both of your keycards as you did. You told the man working behind the counter, a sprig young thing who looked hardly of age to work at a motel, not to refund the payment you had given when you first came. The motel was cheap, you had plenty of money to spare, and if it went into clearing up Room 25, you didn't mind. The two of you started out the door, and you showed him which car was yours. He looked at it as if he knew he had seen it before and was trying to place it, and you smiled ruefully. You unlocked the car and popped the trunk, shoving your belongings inside. Once the door was shut, you turned to face your skeletal companion. 

He didn't say anything, as he hadn't since before you took your shower, and you were feeling more than a little miffed. You snapped at him halfheartedly, "What, the silent treatment?" Silence. "Fine. I figured you'd _pun_ ish me with bad jokes, but I guess not." Silence. Spinning on your heels, you moved away from him. Your phone, which had been set to vibrate last night, buzzed in your pocket. You pulled it out, and looked back at Sans when you noticed that he was calling you. "*i gotta drive home in Paps car, but i still want to talk to you." You accepted the call and slunk into your car.

The interior was warm, not at all fitting for how you felt. You didn't want to go home. You wanted to stay and work on getting rid of those stupid little emotions that spun you in circles and left your heart aching. You wanted to forget how it felt to have your fondness for someone else be unrequited. You tossed your phone in the passenger side, listening as Sans entered his car and began to buckle in. You backed out of the now familiar parking lot, and began to drive in the direction you knew to be home. 

For a while, the two of you drove in silence. The sun was shining down on you both, accentuating either car's glossy coats. Sans stayed as close to you as he possibly could, silently warning you that he wasn't going to allow you to leave his sights. "Sans? Can you tell me a joke?" He told you he could, and after a few minutes of silence, you realized you had walked into that one. "I have one. Wanna hear it?" 

You reclined back into your seat as you came to a red light. Sans was in the lane next to you, little shocks of yesterday toying in your mind briefly. He had long since let down the top, but you weren't fond of the cold like he was, so you kept your windows closed. You could see him glancing at your car while he waited for you to speak, and so you didn't have him wait for very long. "What did the human say to her skeletal friend after he tracked her down after she ran away?" A pause. " _I missed you_." 

The light changed, and you two started off again. "I did." You murmured, not sure if it was for him or yourself now. After a moment to think about it, you whispered to yourself, knowing that Sans would be able to hear you, "I do." Hearing your quiet proclamation, Sans reached over and plopped his phone in his lap instead of where it had previously sat in the passenger seat. "*i just wanna know why you did it." 

Instead of staying on that topic, you jumped around. You moved from topic to topic, you doing almost all of the talking, for three hours before your car blipped at you. Staring at the signal, you wondered what would happen if you just let your gas go empty. The morbid thought ceased, however, as you realized two things. One, you were in the middle of a busy highway and that would be a very bad thing, and two, you didn't want to test fate. Absently, you started to tell Sans that you had to pull over to get gas, "Hey, Sansy, I gotta go get some gas, okay? You must be running low, too." 

If you noticed the nickname that had casually slipped from your lips, you didn't mention it. Sans noticed, though. His body reacted accordingly, a blue flush coloring his cheekbones and his pupils dilating to those damned hearts. Eyebones furrowing, Sans clutched his steering wheel a little tighter and leaned forward a little more. For the duration of the drive home, he had been thinking about what he had heard in the motel room, what he had heard you say. He didn't want to bring it up over the phone, though. He strained to hear that you were pulling over at the Hess that was up a mile and a half. 

He pulled into your lane, roving closely behind you as you turned at the next light. He followed you to the gas station, peering up at the midday sun as he parked at the pump aside of yours. The air was crisp with heat that shouldn't have been there for several more months, and the few clouds that hung in the sky were dark with promises of soaked clothes and rainbows. Sliding out of his seat, Sans hooked the pump up to his car and waited for you to say anything. 

You didn't. You leaned against the machine attached to your pump, humming to yourself softly. He could see you worrying at your bottom lip, something that would have to stop if you didn't want to cut through the tender flesh, and for the first time in a few hours, he started the conversation. His voice was gruff with disuse, but thankfully didn't crack. "*so, there are these two cows in a field," You bumped your hip against the machine to give yourself enough momentum to stand up. "*the one cow turns to the other and says MOOOOO. the other one said pretty much the same thing." 

You snorted, but oh stars how he wanted to hear you laugh. "That was pretty lame, even for you." He worked his hand through the tubes and space between the two of you to grab your hand. "*how did Scrooge win the football game?" He didn't wait for you to ask how. "*the _Ghost of Christmas passed_." That sent your laughter tumbling out of your lips, and Sans visibly relaxed. "*what did Sushi A say to Sushi B?" You hadn't stopped laughing, but he wanted to hear you lose control. "* _wasa-B_." You giggled lightly at that, but it wasn't enough for him. 

Removing your hand from his to take the pump out and pay what he owed, Sans strode over to your side, arms wrapping around you as he hugged your back to his front. "*what's a clock do when he's hungry? he _goes back four seconds_." You pressed your head against him, shaking lightly as you laughed, but Sans was greedy, and he wanted more. "*what did the seaman say when he saw fast food floating in the water? _i-see-burgz_." You turned in his grasp so you could wrap your arms around him, glad that his silence was broken. You hummed softly, but he needed more. "*why can't dinosaurs talk? _because they're dead_." 

You tilted your head back and laughed, satisfying his hunger for your laughter, if only for now, "You're terrible!" He smiled fondly at you, nuzzling his head against yours. "*no, i'm Sansy. hey, what did the skeleton say to his crush?" You looked up at him with those beautiful eyes, and he was lost for a moment. "*i want to be _h'yourman_." You furrowed your brows at him, your lips pouting slightly. "Was that supposed to sound like 'Human'? Because you failed. Miserably." He shrugged. "*sue me." 

After you returned the pump and paid the machine, the two of you decided to stop at a restaurant after another half hour of driving. You were so close to home now, but Sans wanted to talk with you privately, and in person, he emphasized after you'd told him you were still in a call with him. You giggled along to his bad jokes and awful puns, glad that he was talking to you once more. Eventually, the two of came to a near enough place, an old and rickety Denny's that looked as though it might fall down at any moment. Pulling in alongside of Sans already parked car, you mumbled your thanks after he held your door open for you once it was unlocked. You assured him you could do it yourself, but he only took the time to grab your hand before leading you inside the restaurant. 

You selected a booth on the far side, and the two of you set off for it. Once seated, a charming young rabbit man gave you your menus and slid two glasses of water onto the table. You idly chatted with Sans until it was time to order, choosing a small dish of pancakes, no drink, and you were not surprised when Sans said he was fine, picking up the bottle of ketchup on the table and shaking it. Once your waiter left, Sans decided to get to the point. "*i heard you this morning." 

Taking a moment to think about what he might have heard, you quipped that you had been talking to him and hoped he was listening to hear you. He shook his head, your eyebrow raising at that. He placed his free hand on the table, palm skywards and waiting for you. You pressed your hand into his, now having both of your hands occupied by him, "*that you like me." 

You didn't move for a second, and then two, taking in his words. They worked slowly through your mind as if they were pieces to a cryptic puzzle. You stared at him blankly, the hair raising on the back of your neck, before moving to pull your hands away. "Sans, I-" He kept your hands in his, dragging them slightly closer. "--Don't want to ruin our friendship, I know I should have told you," 

He was watching you carefully as your internal dam slowly broke. You didn't want to lie anymore, and so you didn't. You told him when you found out, how you were sure his little jokes were intentional and cruel because of your feelings, all the way up to why you left. The waiter dropped off your food halfway through your ramblings, which sat cold on the side by the time you were finished. You let out a heaving exhale, your lies drifting in front of you for a moment, before looking back at your partner. His thumbs had started to run over your knuckles comfortingly a few minutes after you started, and that little action was enough to assuage your fears that you had ruined what you two shared. 

"I didn't want to give up our friendship, I didn't want you to be disturbed by my feelings," You concluded, the air suddenly feeling very heavy upon your shoulders. "I was afraid, okay? I am afraid." Sans was very good at hiding his emotions, as he'd done throughout your talk. Now that you were nearly finished, he could hardly contain the hearts that demanded patronage over his pupils, and the breath he was holding in was barely keeping back the deep flush that threatened to take over his face if he exhaled. You were silent for a minute, playing with his hands as you waited. "You're not m-" 

"*i like you, too." That shut you up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I spent hours on this chapter, but I don't like it. It feels too rushed, too choppy. This is the first chapter I've actually not liked. 
> 
> Which sucks because it's the last chapter for a while. 
> 
> I have to go for the weekend, and am not returning until late Sunday night. I have to go back to school on Monday, and my schedule is really busy. I start off at 4am for team practices and get home around 8pm, leaving little time for homework, so this will have to become a weekend project for now. 
> 
> If I get a couple people asking for it, I don't want to shove it in anybody's face and give them the idea that I want more followers, I could post a link to my Tumblr. Only if more than a few people want it. I will give it to those who ask for it if I don't, but I'll only link it if I get 5-6 people asking for it. 
> 
> I love it a lot though, not this chapter, but the story. I can't keep myself from writing it for very long, as I'm sure most of you could tell. I'll probably write it on notebook paper and transfer it over when I have the time. 
> 
> I'm really sorry about this chapter bc it took so long, there were so many drafts. I lost amount of detail I wanted in it and ug..sorry haha
> 
> This will probably not be the last chapter today who am I kidding. I have no self control. But if it is, please do not forget about me while you wait.


	12. And dogs are funny sometimes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't happy with the last chapter at all, but I couldn't bring myself to reread it for editing purposes. Sorry, haha

The moisture began to ebb your throat as you stared at your skeletal friend. Your hands tapped on the table as you shook slightly, looking into his eyes for any hint of a lie. He had to be joking, you told yourself. And so you told him so. "Sans, I wasn't kidding, please don't make a joke out of my feelings," Your eyebrows furrowed as you took in his expression, there wasn't anything aside from sincerity, still, you felt as though he was kidding. "*i'm not." You looked down to where your hands were joined, and then to the surface they rested upon. The table was a muted yellow speckled with brown, and on the edge to your far right, there was an odd green color. It looked as though someone had barfed, which suited the situation enough because that's exactly what you felt like doing. 

You tugged one hand from his grasp, he wasn't letting the other hand, your non dominant, go. You began to busy yourself with working at the pancakes, which, despite being very cold now, were still pretty good. The fluffy texture felt like cotton in your mouth, but your saliva wet at your dry tongue as you worked at the small stack of three. The pancakes were small, and you wished you had gotten a bigger dish, feeling as though you hadn't enough time. 

You were feeling incredibly foolish. You had fled from your home, leaving behind friends who you loved, furry or otherwise, to just end up here. You chewed slowly, and swallowed thick lumps, until you were finished. It felt like the stack was gone too fast, but in reality, you had been eating for fifteen minutes. You allowed the fork to rest over top the plate, a heavy sigh escaping your lips as you moved your hand so that it covered your eyelids. You rubbed at them until a bony hand pulled yours away, tucking it into his firm grasp. Still, you didn't look at him, fearing what you might see. 

Both your actions and the crush seemed almost stupid, now. You inhaled deeply, the thick aroma of coffee and eggs taking over your sense of smell despite you not having either of those things. Exhaling, you reviewed the latter of stupid things, the crush. You have known Sans for years, two actually, but despite that, you didn't know him as well as you'd like to, if this trip showed anything. You didn't know his grin could curl into the edges into something that seemed menacing, but you knew was actually his version of a frown. You didn't know that he had enough determination in him to seek you out for hours, for days, even if you ignored him. You didn't know that he could be so..Persistent. That's not what lazy skeletons did. 

You did not know your friend at all, how could you have a crush on him? Had you fallen for his looks, as odd as that sounded? And no, not his fish. 

Sans was patient as you waged war on your thoughts, not so much as tapping his fingers in case it would give you the impression that he wanted to rush you. You appreciated it greatly when you finally pulled out of your thoughts, deciding that yes, Sans was handsome, no, you did not know him as well as you'd like but you knew him well, and no, his looks were not what pulled you in. If anything, you concluded, it was his ability to always make you laugh. You flashed him a smile, a genuine one, and squeezed his hands fondly, the gesture quickly returned. 

Feeling a little playful, you leaned in close, crossing your legs beneath the table. You had put on a fluffy black sweater, that type of top quickly becoming your go-to, and skinny jeans. Your pants protested at your legs now being crossed, but you ignored it. "So, what now," You paused, now aware of the name slipping from your lips as you cooed to him gently, "Sansy?" You felt his grip tighten slightly, and it was with pure satisfaction that you noted the flush on his cheeks. Blaming what appeared to be a shift in pupil shape on the lighting, you grinned. 

Slightly confused by your sudden change in behavior, Sans was hardly prepared. He had fully expected you to decide there and then that you were over your crush, and he had prepared for that outcome, not this one. Still, it wasn't unwelcome, and neither was that positively adorable nickname. "*i got tons of pick up lines. wanna hear one?" You rolled your eyes and told him no, you did not want to hear one of his awful jabs at romanticism. Tough crowd, tough crowd. "*fine then. you remember that joke i told you?" You reminded him that he told you many jokes, and often, too. 

A grin so shit-eating that if you squinted you could see the brown flecks plastered onto his face. You had an inkling to which joke he was about to give you, and you hoped he wouldn't butcher it this time. "*you're my crush, okay? and i know i'm yours," He waggled his eyebones at you, and you looked away, blushing only slightly. "*and while being a monster is fun and all, i want to be h _ur_ man." You snorted, and told him to come up with something better because he'd already used that one, although he'd went about the execution a bit more tactfully. 

"*are you a Junior Jumble? because you're a _maze_ ing." He'd had to explain to you that Junior Jumbles were full of puzzles and mazes and the likes, so he considered it a failed attempt. He released his grip on you to intertwine his fingers and reach them out, cracking the joints in a way that you would assume to be painful for a skeleton. He brought his right index finger to the side of his teeth, curling in slightly as though he were a caught fish. "*i'm _hooked_ on you, will you _hook_ up with me?" 

He spent the better part of an hour letting dozens of pick up lines, despite your giggling protests, and jokes fly between you two. By the time he had paid for the meal, although you had insisted heavily on paying because you were the only one to eat, your sides were hurting and your voice was rough with laughter. He looped his arm around you as the two of you exited the restaurant, looking down at your smiling face with an expression that you couldn't quite place but it sent shivers down your spine regardless. "*are you a labracadabrador? because what you're doing to me feels like _magic_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because more than a few people requested it, my Tumblr is shortjeb-probs.tumblr.com   
> This is the only chapter I'll be posting that <3 <3 <3 Thank you, everyone!


	13. And dogs are protective

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I spent all weekend coming up with puns and I only used one of them. There's a lot, so expect to see some new jokes coming soon ;l

You wiggled in your seat, awkwardly maneuvering to dance as best as you could to the tune bursting from your speaker. It was some remix of a popular song you didn't know the name of, and while if had started off sounding like a dying animal, you quickly found that you needed to move with the beat. It was captivating, and it was a devastating choice to bop along to the song, but you couldn't help it. Your hips felt as though they needed to sway, your legs were restless, and the song absolutely alluring. Your car was lacking a certain skeleton's voice, and you had wanted to turn on the radio to replace the consistent voice that had been there for a little while now. 

You and Sans had ultimately decided to not to pursue a relationship just yet. It was too soon, and the two of you wanted to be in each others company a bit more before rushing into something that you both might not have been prepared for. You'd suggested the idea at first, and Sans had agreed enthusiastically. He'd briefly mentioned something about how it would be best, considering how Papyrus, Undyne, and Alphys would react, and that addition only strengthened the notion that your suggestion was a good one. Shortly after he had walked you to your car, the two of you had begun speaking over the phone, when, a few minutes into the call, your phone died. You explained it to him at the next red light when he sent a curious gaze your way, luckily the two of you had stopped a few seconds after your phone died. 

Your car charger was stored somewhere in the back seat, you having thrown it there a few days ago for a reason you couldn't quite remember, and the two of you were nearing your neighborhood anyway. Sans had had the forethought to tell you that Alphys knew of your early arrival, and would likely tell the others, so you two would be stopping off at your home first on the not-so-off chance that everyone was gathered there. 

The smile that was already curled around your lips grew as you began to cruise through familiar streets. You would be stopping off at the pet store later tonight, after everything calmed down. Your already bouncing legs twitched at the thought, you certainly would not be using your car to get there. The skies were clear of their cloudy nuisances, and although it was a little chilly, a stream of air was brushing along your face and left shoulder through the window, which was only opened a crack. It was a beautiful Autumn-ish day for middle December, and you couldn't say that you minded. 

You turned into your street, giddiness filling your heart as you drove down it, mindful of the speed limit as you went. Your eyes searched along the houses, flora, and fauna, filling you with a rich sadness that felt almost like nostalgia, but not quite. Your heart thudded at the sight of your home; while you had been adverse to its size and stature before, of which heavily elaborated on your wealth and was simply too much for one person, you couldn't help but be glad for it now. They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder, and it certainly had been true for you. Your smile grew to a blazing grin as you closed the distance between your car and your home, excitement sending feverish tremors to shake your body. 

The song drew to a close just as you approached your driveway, and after a second of thought, you decided to back into it. You would have to get out of your car and open the garage before continuing to back into it, which should you ever need to make a fast escape, something you were not planning on doing anytime soon, it would be easier. As you backed into the paved driveway, you felt a prickling that told the hair on the back of your neck to rise. It was the sensation of being watched intensely, a feeling you had come to know very well throughout your impromptu vacation, as you were watched whenever you stepped out your car. 

You knew what was coming, but did nothing to stop it. Your almost crazed grin growing even wider, your cheeks severely hurting now, as you stepped out of your car. Before you had the chance to bring your other foot out of the car to fully stand, you were tackled to the side, a skeleton seeming to have appeared out of no where. Smooth bones rubbed along exposed skin, along with dent-peppered metal, and scales following soon after. Elation sprang within your chest, and your arms fought around the sea of monsters so you could return their embrace. 

Your heart began to play its own song, demanding you to follow along to the beat of its drum, and you let out a shaky breath. Friends were all around you now, literally covering you, and you couldn't help but let a joyous laugh slip from your throat. As soon as it began, it would not stop, growing and growing as tears welled in your shut eyes and, soon after, began to pour heavily from them. You grasped at your friends as best as you could while trying to give attention to all of them in equal spurts. 

Papyrus was cheering so loudly that you felt as though your eardrums would explode, and Undyne was giving you a noogie so vicious, you would not be surprised if you lost a few layers of skin when it finally ended. Alphys was crowding your waist with her arms, pressing into you fondly, and Napstablook was watching you carefully from the side as if you would disappear again if he so much as blinked. You didn't even feel the cold as it tried to bite at you, the warmth your friends gave you, both physically and emotionally, warding off the chill easily. 

Sans had parked his brother's car behind yours a short minute after your friendship pile began, and he, too, was standing off to the side. His grin, although ever present, was large and striking in the sun as he flashed his happiness for all to see. He shot his brother a few looks whenever they made eye contact, all of which were based on silliness and almost all of them included a wink, and his laughter bellowed deeply in the air as he heard yours begin. 

The six of you stayed like that for what felt like a pleasant century, pulling away only when a cough sounded directly behind Sans, causing the group to break away as Richard took long strides in your direction. Your neighbor sent uneasy glances in the directions of your friends, but continued on regardless, stopping only when he was close enough to extend a hand to you that he knew you could reach to return the favor. You stared at it for a heartbeat's hesitation before sticking out your own, shaking his sweaty palm with your own warm one. His gruff voice sounded a bit emotional, causing you to nearly cock your head in confusion, "Welcome back," Your name spilled from his lips as though it was a treasure. "We missed you." 

The way his eyes darted to Undyne with a look akin to fear tipped you off to the fact that without you here to play mediator, Undyne was ruthless. Your cautious expression warmed into one of pure delight as you welcomes your former role back. While it had been a tiring job after so many times, and was almost thankless on Richard's side, it was better that the conflicts were resolved by something other than violence. You had a feeling Undyne did not try to do as you did, and you were almost certain that she made kept promises out of a few, if not all, of her threats while you were gone. Richard was not a man who was easily shaken, and currently, he was shaking. 

Before turning and exiting your driveway to return to his own home, he coughed into his hand, which you had released after a few seconds into the handshake, and asked, "Please do not leave so suddenly again." It sounded like a statement, but his eyes reflected a pleading so sincere you couldn't help but nod. With that, he quickly departed, not even looking back at the group he was so hastily leaving behind. 

The others cleared out of your driveway after you used your keys to open up the garage so that you could finish backing into it. Sans had sent you a pointed glance that told you that if you tried to bolt again using the vehicle, he would be sure to find it instantly. You didn't doubt him. After you finished with that, you pulled your bike out and rested it against the garage door once it had been closed up again. You had some other friends to see. 

Picking up on your want to see your animal friends, Undyne dragged Papyrus and Alphys away eventually with Napstablook following slowly, warning you that if you did not attend their sleepover tonight you would be sorry. You sent a nervous wave in her direction, and she sent a sharp-toothed grin in your direction. You were much more nervous about missing out on that sleepover than you were of whatever Sans would do to you if you left again, you realized. Those teeth looked sharp enough to cut in bone, and you weren't exactly keen on finding out if they really were. 

Sans plodded to your side soon after the others disappeared into Alphys' and Undyne's home. He landed a similar look on your bike as he had to your car before you exited it for the final time, his voice filling the air, "*if you leave again, i'm going to _pun_ ish you. hard." Your hand reached out to shove against him lightly, your light push not moving him in the slightest. You scolded him for using your pun, to which he immediately retorted that you stole and reused his jokes all the time. 

"You're dumb," You laughed, causing him to lean down slightly as his soul wrenched with the need to get closer to you. His soul pumped with the extreme desire to mingle with yours, and his teeth clenched as he tried to tame his soul. "*i'm your dumb." You raised an eyebrow at that, staring at him for a few seconds, pondering the incorrect sentence before it hit you. You blushed heavily, pressing your palm against his shoulder to shove him again. 

You didn't see how his eyes flickered briefly before he suppressed them. Those damned heart shaped pupils appeared so frequently now, as he was constantly in your company, that he had begun to learn how to force them back. Wanting to hear that laugh again, knowing full well how his soul would frantically beat against him when he did, Sans removed your hand from his shoulder and intertwined his fingers with yours. "*whatcha call a large group of comedians working in harmony?" He didn't wait for you to ask. "*a _comedunity_." 

You let out a loud groan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay but do you guys even know how lovely you guys are? The nice comments make me want to cry <3 <3 <3 Thank you guys so much for your support and love, I love you guys so much <3 <3 <3!


	14. And dogs are certainly loving

Sunlight poured over your eyelids, its cascading brightness filtering through to your eyes unpleasantly and forcing a displeased groan from your lips. You moved your arm to sweep away at the sudden intruder, and once you realized that it was not going away like you'd hoped, you promptly turned away from the rude and unwelcome guest. You pulled the light covers over your frame, tightly hugging at the slightly scratchy material. Your fingers itched to delve into your pants or your armpits or someplace on your body that you knew would be warm, the unwanted awakening bringing the cold to your attention. 

A deep yawn threatened to bellow from you, one that you knew would hurt your jaw, maybe even unhinge it, so you fought against it. Pressing cold air into your lungs and focusing on your breathing, you managed to beat it back. A comfortable sigh ran from your throat, and you snuggled into your pillow and pressed firm against the oddly hard, although not uncomfortable, thing you were laying upon. Before you could fully fall back into the sleep that urged you, however, your warm blankets were snatched from your grasp. 

You tossed your body forward and then lurched towards the ceiling as you reached out for the fleeting material, only to have it slip through your fingertips. Your brows furrowed and you gazed up at the blanket thief with anger lighting up in your eyes. Undyne smirked at you playfully, shaking the much desired blanket in front of you, holding it just to where you couldn't reach it. "Hey, kid, it's time to get up." You reached out your hand, palm skyward, and crooked your fingers expectantly. When she did not place the stolen object back in your grasp, you reluctantly scrambled to a standing position. 

Your breath puffed out in front of you in cloudy wisps, and your skin was peppered with goosebumps. You shivered almost uncontrollably, unforgiving hisses streaming from your lips like steam. Your hands bunched up beneath your armpits as you crossed your arms, your fingers warming up almost instantly, but not by much. Winter had chosen to make its appearance just as you thought it would never come, springing up on the night you decided pajama shorts and an old t-shirt would be appropriate sleepwear. Obviously not, if your hunched position was anything to go by. 

"Papyrus is making breakfast spaghetti," Undyne declared, and you found your irritation slipping away from you. She looked so happy, it wouldn't be right to stay mad at her, you decided. "Alphys is even making pancakes! Come on, Human!" You slid a hand from where it was trapped beneath your shivering arm to rub the sleep away from your eyes as you trudged behind the fish woman, watching forlornly as she tossed the blanket you so desperately desired to the side. It fell near the window that had allowed that treacherous sun to grind against your eyelids, glaring at it for a moment before you realized it wasn't there. The sky was pitch black, and stars visibly dotted the inky canvas. Just after you shut the door, you glanced to Undyne's hand, finding a key chain flashlight spinning around her left index finger. 

You grumbled to yourself as you realized that there had been no warmth against your skin when the "Sun" had drifted over your sleeping face, inwardly muttering curses at that damned flashlight. Still, you walked on, only a step behind Undyne now. Your spine was beginning to ache from the slouched position you had unconsciously placed it in, but you found a stinging pain coursing down your back when you worked to straighten it, so you kept it in position, knowing you were keeping horrible posture. 

Your companion did not seem to be affected by the cold, her black tank top sleeveless and cropped to show her waist to the world. Her fuzzy Mettaton pajama pants dipped just beneath her hips, and threatened to slip even further with every sway that accompanied her swagger. Her feet were bare, toes curling into the plush carpet, similar to the one you had woken up on, as she strutted down her hallway. You smiled, lips quivering violently as you shook.

How you didn't get hypothermia while you slept, you didn't know. The cold was terrible, nipping at your exposed skin and breezing passed your clothing to reach at what it could not directly touch. Icy fingers gripped yours, and the unrequited love Winter had for you covered you in its entirety, leaving you a shaking mess. You turned the corner with your neighbor, plodding into the slightly warmer room with something akin to sleepy glee. Your happiness, unlike you unfortunately, was still asleep, and you had a feeling it would stay that way until you could slide somewhere hot. 

You nearly jumped out of your skin as something fluffy and soft pressed against your shoulders, draping over you. Your hands, which had come out from beneath your arms when you started, immediately dug into the material. You released your death grip long enough to slide your arms through the sleeves of this sudden gift, zippering it up quickly before your hands dove for the cozy pockets. You had stopped, Undyne still marching forward, and watched as she turned into another room. You pressed your nose into the soft fur adorning the green hood, a deep sigh of relief bursting from you. 

You were still cold, but no longer unbelievably so. Your shuddering had lessened almost instantly, though your goosebumps still stayed present. You sent an appreciative glance at the monster waiting behind you, cooing a "Thank you" gratefully. A blush flourished across his cheekbones as Sans scratched at the back of his head. "*no problemo, pal. hey, now we're matching," He tugged at his own blue jacket. "kinda." 

He didn't move to hold your hand in his as he strode passed you, and you didn't either as you walked so that you were beside him. Both of your hands were kept within the confines of your pockets, and you didn't mind that at all. The two of you swept into another room, and you eyed the kitchen across from it happily. Ah, yes, there it was. Happiness began to bubble in your heart as you sped into the no-doubt warmer room, a large smile gracing your lips as you went. 

Sans watched you carefully, not lengthening his strides to match your speed. It had pained him greatly to see you shivering almost helplessly in the hallway, and while he had never owned a green jacket previously, he did now, and was immensely happier seeing it draped around your body. You could keep it, if you'd like, he thought to himself. He waltzed into the kitchen shortly after you had sat down, cruising to the seat across from you, only to have it stolen by Undyne seconds before he could plop down in it. 

"Some party last night, huh, Human!" You smiled wearily at the memory. The sleepover had been beyond crazy, and you were sure that if it wasn't for the magic infused in monster pastries that you'd be littered in bruises right now. Things had been thrown, objects had been broken, and you could still taste the fish on your lips and taste the lizard against your tender flesh. From the way your neighbor was leering at you, she could feel and taste similar things. 

The three of you, Undyne, Alphys, and yourself, had been entranced by a crazy daring game held between the friends in an anime Alphys had claimed to be her favorite. Kisses had been shared onscreen, and Undyne was desperate to repeat them. Unfortunately, the game called for three to six people, and die had been required. By the time the three of you had prepared, Sans and Papyrus had passed out, thankfully. The game called for some weird things, and a lot of weird dares had been handed out to each of you, and in the end, everything was just weird. 

You reached up, your sleeve sliding down your wrist just a bit as you scratched at the back of your head. "Heh, yeah," Your nose crinkled at the memories. What kind of game required fresh salmon and live lizards? What kind of game required you to kiss both things no less than six times per turn? You shuddered, this time at the grotesque nature of the game rather than the cold which had ceased to nip at you. You smiled at Sans, who was standing awkwardly beside Undyne, at that last thought. 

"HUMAN! YOU ARE FINALLY UP!" Papyrus' loud voice screeched in the kitchen, effectively cutting off Undyne just as she opened her mouth. Her coy smirk melted into an edgy smile, teeth flashing. You turned your attention from her to the clock that sat above you on your left. "Papyrus," You flicked your gaze back over to Undyne, an unforgiving heat lighting in your eyes. "It's only three in the morning." You had been asleep for two hours, at most. Your smile twitched at the corners, and you swore to yourself that you'd get back at your neighbor. Both for the insane dares and for waking you up at some an incredible time. 

Undyne turned her face away from you, whistling loudly to herself. Your grin grew sincere for a moment as you leaned forward, and you began, "Hey, Undyne," Your purr was almost threatening in nature, and you briefly looked over to Sans, who had swiveled his head towards you and was regarding you quietly. You flashed your eyes back to Undyne, various puns of all different topics and types lighting up in your head. You decided to start with a familiar topic, "Did I ever tell you that I'm thinking of getting a dog?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> <3 <3 <3


	15. Yes, I am most definitely getting a dog

If quiet meant unbelievably loud, then the kitchen was dead silent. Your loud guffaws and Undyne's disgusted groans filled the air like oxygen, permeating through the atmosphere as the others tried to block out the dual sounds. Undyne had placed her hands over her fins, but not even that could disguise the onslaught of puns pouring from your lips like liquid humor, much to her discomfort. Papyrus and Alphys were forcing back signs of displeasure of their own, but being busy at the stove made that slightly easier. Still, your laughter was a relief to them, Undyne included, as it meant no more awful jokes could rain from your lips. 

You gasped for air, heaving for as much as you could press into your lungs while your hands searched to assuage the distinctly familiar stitch in your sides. You twitched and lurched and fell back in rapid movement as you tried to gain control of yourself, actual tears gathering at the corner of your eyes. Your smile was so wide that your face hurt almost as much as your throat did, which was hoarse with use. Your shoulders quaked viciously as you fought to control yourself at least a little bit, but to no avail. Jokes were always funnier out loud than in your head, and being the one to tell them made it hard. 

Your hips wiggled in your seat, legs crossing over each other in an odd display of flesh as your shorts rode up even higher. You were trying not to lose your bladder, currently, though it was becoming harder as the seconds ticked by. Your dominant hand left your side and rose to your mouth as you began to bite your knuckles gently. You were aware that everyone was staring, even if they didn't want to, but you did not know that not all of them were staring with muted disgust. 

Sans regarded you softly, his eyes holding a deep fondness in them that only your mother could have rivaled. Did you know how stunning you were? How beautiful your laugh was? What you did to him? It wasn't likely, he concluded, but he hoped that you would know soon. Loud chuckles were pulled from his own throat whenever you successfully got through a joke, and deep laughter echoed through the room every time you couldn't. You wheezed and clutched at the table tightly with one hand, the other placed firmly against your mouth as your teeth dug into the soft flesh, and a genuine smile flourished on his skull. 

You leaned your head back and inhaled as much as you could, a tear slipping from your eyes. You looked back at Undyne, who was staring at you regretfully. A string of curses erupted beyond her lips as she realized you were settling down, preparing the next best thing that you could come up with. Your teeth flashed as you leaned forward, your hand furthering from your lips as you did. You purred gently, "You know, Undyne," when two plates were tossed onto the table, laden with eggs and fruits and potato goodness. 

You smiled gratefully at Papyrus, though not as much as Undyne had. "YOU SHOULD WASH OUT YOUR MOUTH, UNDYNE!" Papyrus started, and Undyne's gaze flickered over to you threateningly as if she sensed the light bulb brightening above your head. "I DO NOT BELIEVE DISH SOAP WILL WORK, THOUGH. DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING STRONGER," Papyrus turned to Alphys and directed the question to her as he yelped her name. 

Undyne's glower was almost too much. Still, you pressed on, feeling the surface of the table glide across your skin from where you had pushed up the sleeves. Your wrists slid against the glossy surface as you spread your hands out, not quite sure what you were doing. "I used to have a soap addiction-" Undyne cut you off as she warned you not to say whatever you had planned next. Your grin widened. "--But I'm _clean_ now." 

Papyrus soured at that, glancing down at you as though you had said the most distasteful thing he had ever heard. You smiled innocently up at him, but when he only stared back, you turned back to Undyne and continued. "Und-" 

A loud squeal sounded from the floor as Undyne pushed her seat back quickly. Laughter sprang from deep within you again as she stormed over to her girlfriend, hands thrown up in the arm before wrapping around Alphys. A glare was sent your way as Undyne loudly whispered to Alphys, "Babe, let's go somewhere human-free. And skeleton-free," Her eyes flicked over to Sans, who shrugged helplessly. "'Cept maybe Pap. He can stay. Those two," Her fingers spread so that her middle was directed at you and the index at Sans. "Can leave." 

"I AGREE, HUMAN!" Papyrus loudly exclaimed as Sans sauntered over to the now-vacant chair he had been coveting for some time now. "MY BROTHER HAS BEEN AN AWFUL INFLUENCE ON YOU!" You snickered at that, sharing a knowing glance at the lazier of the two skeletons, fully knowing that you had instigated your fate in becoming a pun master. Your head bobbed at Papyrus as you retrained your attention on him. 

"*i got a good pun. wanna hear it?" Papyrus strode away at that, firing comments of displeasure as he went. He instructed you both to eat what had been prepared for you and Sans, although it had actually been for Undyne and yourself, before plodding off into the living room, Undyne and Alphys in tow. All three had plates stacked high with food, so you didn't worry about digging in yourself. "Sure," 

You scooped the hash brown into your awaiting mouth, salivating at the salty taste as it rubbed against your tongue. "*my desire to be a dermatologist was only _skin deep_. i knew i was destined for osteology instead. i could feel it _in my bones_." He winked at you as he lifted his kneecap above the table and tapped his fibula. The dull click of bone against bone was the only sound for a quick moment before you continued to work at the pile of food on your plate, sending an amused stare towards your skeletal companion. After you had swallowed, you sighed a soft sigh, smiling warmly, "That was awful." 

He laughed heartily, his leg lowering from where it had been suspended and his fingers sliding across the table surface, eagerly entwining with yours after you had closed the distance between your hands. He played with your non dominant hand as you shook your head at him, shoveling more food into your mouth as you went. Your eyes crinkled and your nose wrinkled as he tried again, "*old doctors never die. they just lose their _patients_." 

You rolled your eyes and quickly swallowed the last bit of food you had, rising from your seat as Sans continued to jump from topic to topic in an attempt to make you laugh. You would have laughed, and hard, but were currently preoccupied mashing leftover food with your teeth. You sat your dish into the sink, grabbing the sponge closest to you and drenching it in dish soap and water. You began to scrub the filth away from your plate, not hearing the chair behind you squeal as it was pushed away from where it had rested. "*i got a pick up line. wanna hear it?" You'd heard that, wondering to yourself at why he sounded closer than before. 

You let out a breathy chuckle, assuring Sans that no, you did not want to hear a pick up line. The sound of running water masked his slipper-ed feet as he stalked towards you, a hungry smile replacing the happy one as he edged forward. Fifth times the charm, he told himself as he wandered closer still, stopping only when he was close enough to touch you if he so much as lifted his arm. You continued to wash at the dish, plopping the dripping sponge into the other sink and running the water over the plate to clear over the suds as you finished up. 

He twitched anxiously as he spoke up again, "*i can't read lips unless they're pressed against mine, and baby, _i want you to read me a book_." Your nose scrunched up and your cheeks heated as you deposited the plate into the drying rack before turning towards Sans, confusion clouding your eyes. Before you could announce your confusion, Sans' hands found a home on your hips as he leaned in to you. You let out a muffled gasp as bone pressed against flesh, your mouth parting against his teeth slightly in surprise. 

Phalanges dug into your clothing hard, and your fists found their way over to his shoulder as you crumpled your fingers in his jacket. Your hands itched to lash out at him, he had stolen this kiss and you were not fond of thieves, but the raw emotion forced into this blatant sign of affection was almost breathtaking. Your eyes lidded for a quick second and you stared into Sans' pleased face. His features were bright with bliss, a dark blue blush painting over his cheekbones. 

His eye sockets were closed and from what you could see with him being so close to you, his grin was shy and sweet, most likely telling of his immense satisfaction for finally making this moment happen. Your grip slackened slightly, the soft material of his jacket sliding against your fingers as you rubbed your hands against his jacket. Both of your minds were vibrant fires as the moment sunk in. 

Finally, you caught yourself just as Sans' fingers began to tangle in your hand, inviting you to open your lips even wider at the sensual feeling. You pulled away from him, your breath heated and chest heaving slightly as you looked into his now open sockets. Your mouth stayed open as you huffed slightly, your blush gliding across your cheeks even more as you took in his desire heavy expression. "*i wasn't done reading." Was all he said, making a move to close the distance between you two once again. And he did. 

One hand left your scalp to wrap around your waist as he tugged your body against his, his neck craning even more as he turned his head to the side as if to get better access. Which was ridiculous because his leverage didn't matter in this situation, his teeth firmly against your lips. You found your eyes closing even more than they had previously as this second successful kiss wandered passed half a minute, emotion pulsing from Sans' very bones. 

Your knees shook slightly, but you had a feeling that Sans would not allow a sudden collapse to ruin this moment. You were right, as just as you found yourself falling slightly, he disentangled his other hand to wind the arm around your waist. With both arms enveloping you tightly now, you felt both trapped and free as the rush of feelings drifted over you like careless tides. Your heart was ablaze with happiness and glee, and you found yourself leaning into the kiss slightly. 

Sans could hardly contain himself on his end. His soul pounded within him, demanding to mingle and join with yours in the most intimate way a soul could, but he knew that you weren't ready. While the joining was not permanent, it required giving a bit of your souls to one another, and that was. He quieted his soul as he poured his heart into the kiss, his left eye flaring up in the heat of the moment. You squeaked in surprise as something wet glided across your lower lip, which was sore from where you had teased it last night. You attempted to pull away to investigate, but the slimy thing was persistent in its mission of finding a home in your mouth, and though you couldn't tell for sure, the foreign muscle felt almost exactly like the one you kept in your mouth. 

The assumed tongue rolled along your lips, almost begging for permission, and you obliged. Your mouth gaped slightly and the muscle slid in immediately, passion overflowing in the already heated kiss. You felt incredibly hot in your jacket now, shivers gone and the cold warded away effectively as Sans worked his magic-formed tongue against yours. You were not an expert in all things romantic, but your body had a mind of its own, and responded to the call the muscle sang. 

You felt as though you could no longer breathe, and so you didn't. The world grew dark as you closed your eyes, losing yourself in the kiss. You were not the only one surrendering yourself to your shared action, Sans' eye sockets pressed shut and his arms heavy as he kissed you. Him being the lazy skeleton he was, he had never taken care to properly acquaint himself with the art of affection, but his body was keen on making up for unknown knowledge, though it seemed to be doing fine with the lack of intelligence on the subject. 

You reluctantly separated yourself from the kiss as you took a few seconds to breathe, the need for oxygen bubbling up within you until it could no longer be ignored. Your breaths were deep and heavy, your cheeks darkened and hot, and your body tingled with something almost undefinable as you looked up at your would-be lover. Why had you two decided not to be a couple, again? You found yourself asking this, and similar questions, to yourself as you gazed up into those loving pupils, which had morphed into tiny hearts. You couldn't be imagining this, now. You were far too awake after that to not be aware of anything so important to you now as Sans was. 

His cocky smirk had dived down into an affectionate and jovial grin, his usually dull pupils were brightened to an intensity that rivaled your phone at its highest brightness setting, and his cheeks were flush with colors similar to the night sky just before dawn. Your teeth worried at your lower lip for a moment as you took in the sight of him in all his glory, heart pounding as you thought back to what he had looked like just moments prior. Your breathing began to settle down, and sensing this, Sans began to lean down again with the hopes of catching your lips against his teeth once more, when a voice sounded from one of the other rooms. 

"Are you two losers done being nerds in there?" Undyne called out, and Sans clutched you tighter. He wrenched you from your thoughts as he dragged you closer to him, pressing his mandible into your hair as you buried yourself in his jacket. "It's been, like, thirty minutes! It doesn't take that long to eat, you dorks!" 

Your eyes squinted in pleasure as you felt Sans' hum, the vibrations coming from both his jaw and his rib cage as it sounded. You closed your eyes again, nuzzling into him gently as your feelings took over your heart, rampaging them in a fiery inferno of love and wonder. "W-wait! On second thought, if you guys are still rattling puns off in there, don't come out!" Your lips twitched at the corners as your smile grew. Your hands, which had been placed flat against his chest after he had drawn you closer, pushed against him slightly. You sent him a regretful glance as you ducked out of his hold, calling out to your neighbor as you went, "We'll be out! We're just finishing up discussing our jobs as Pun Masters!" 

"HUMAN! THAT WAS AN AWFUL ONE!" You snorted softly, raising your voice yet again to convey to the silly skeleton that no joke had left your lips yet. "OH. WELL, KEEP IT THAT WAY! MY BROTHER IS RUBBING OFF ON YOU TOO MUCH!" You looked back at Sans, winking at him, "Yeah, I guess so!" Oh, stars, how he wanted to kiss you again. He wanted the successful kiss count to rise and rise until it was in digits too large in size to repeat with one breath. Oh, how he wanted to steal away your breath, though he would prefer it not be due to you reciting the kiss count instead of helping it rise. Or laugh, he shivered in delight every time you became breathless at one of his jokes. 

You wandered into the living room, not sending Sans another glance as you went, though he was close behind. You had your hands shoved in your pockets within seconds of leaving the kitchen, the cold snapping at you angrily as though it was furious you had left its company behind. You smiled at your odd group of friends, hoping they wouldn't notice your kiss-stained lips or your still irregular breathing pattern. Alphys and Undyne spared you a brief look before turning back to the large screen that adorned the center of the wall in front of them, the screen projecting a quality picture of a cat girl toying with her ears. Soft mewls erupted from the speakers in time with when the anime cat girl moved her lips, and you moved over to the couch. 

Settling beside Papyrus, who sat beside Alphys. Smushed in between the arm rest and him, you watched as Sans lowered himself to the floor beside Undyne, who sat at Alphys' feet. Your eyes crinkled at the domesticity of the entire scene, it was like something out of a Hallmark movie and you loved it. Giddiness spread within your chest, replacing the romantic feelings it held a minute ago. 

You leaned back in your seat, your tongue exposed to the cold briefly as you licked at your lips, enjoying the rather present taste of something you could only describe as Sans. It tasted fresh, it tasted new, and if you focused on it too long, you could have sworn it tasted like blue raspberry laced with wintergreen mint. You felt a heated stare on your person as you licked at the flavor before tugging your tongue back into your mouth, savoring it for the few moments it lasted. 

The five of you watched several episodes of this cat girl's life, watching as she saved the world and crushed many hearts, all in the pursuit of catching the eye of her crush. Ironically, despite her name being Honeycrisp, she certainly was not the _apple of his eye_. Finally, after six episodes and three hours later, you got up and stretched, wandering over to your former sleeping place at nearly seven in the morning. You snatched up your phone after cleaning up the area a bit, pocketing it as you went back to your friends. 

You waved a silent goodbye to Alphys, who was running her fingers through a sleeping Undyne's hair. You smiled fondly to the passed out Papyrus, of whom had tired himself out by all the jumping and exercise you had missed out during Sans sudden lapse of control. You unconsciously licked your lips as your gazed passed over to Sans, who was slumped against the arm rest adjacent to where Alphys sat, having fallen asleep after Papyrus but before Undyne, somewhere between the fourth and fifth episode. You mouthed for Alphys to give them all your well wishes as you passed over to the front door, hands diving into your pockets as the door closed behind you. 

You hurried over to your yard, and then into your home, not stopping your short hustle until your door was firmly shut behind you. Once that was done, you let out a grateful sigh as warm air cascaded over your skin and brushed the lingering cold from where it had settled over you. You were grateful for the jacket Sans had lent you, and you made a mental note to return it as soon as possible, though you didn't discard it as you stepped up your stairs and into your room. 

You fell onto your bed, pulling out your phone as you stopped bouncing. Your eyes shut as the lull of much needed sleep threatened to consume you, but you forced it back as you clicked your phone on. You hadn't checked it recently, you weren't sure if you checked it at all after entering Undyne's home last night, and decided to catch up on reading over your alerts, and maybe play a few rounds of Pac-Man if you felt up to it by the end. You weren't surprised to find a text presiding over all of your other notifications, though you were surprised by who the sender was. 

**-we should get a puppy-**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am trash :) <3 <3 <3!!


	16. *what do you want to name it?

You dove for the ground, your arms barely sliding against the carpet before you leaped into the air again, your body a flurry of motion as you danced. You twisted and turned giddily, sure that there would be heavy brush burns decorating your elbows and hands from when you continuously crashed onto the ground. Your lips were curved skywards as you bobbed to the beat, humming in time to the music. It calmed down momentarily before it started again. 

"I get knocked down! But I get up again! You're never gonna keep me down!" You collapsed on the ground again and again as those words repeated, your legs screaming in protest with each jump into the air, your arms squealing in discomfort with every time you glided on the carpet of your bedroom. Your chest heaved and your lungs yelped constantly as you poured every last bit of energy you had into this song. The day was dreary, the sidewalks were wet, puddles were deep, and the sky was crying. You wanted some sort of activity if you could do nothing else today. 

Your hips swayed in the air as you spun, legs lifting and lowering in time with the little dance you had come up with. You allowed your body, much to its displeasure, full control of your movements as you danced. Your little workout came to an end as the song did, your body freezing in the air with your left leg lifted slightly and your body bent back. Your hair was draped across your shoulders, your head having been thrown back dramatically as the music eased to a stop. After a few seconds of holding this position, you gathered yourself to your feet and hurried to your phone, tapping the next song randomly before moving away from it again, ready to start your next impromptu dance sequence. 

A lifting beat protruded from the speakers and you were instantly thrown into action. At first, you moved almost mechanically as you wondered at which song you had picked, but the moment that familiar voice filled your room, you were sent into a spiral of happiness. Tomorrow was your first official day back to work, your boss not allowing you to do much more than visit the animals whenever you came around. Today, you would dance. You would wear yourself out until you couldn't move, you would drink enough tea to detox your body and ward away nonexistent poisons for years to come, and you would sing along to old and new music until your voice ran out and you could sing no more. 

"...And I would walk five hundred miles, and I would walk five hundred more," The speakers screeched, filling your already happy heart with glee. Your baggy pajama shirt flopped with every spin and shake that accompanied the tune. Your movements slowed occasionally, whenever the song did, but you were thrown into a flurry of motion whenever those familiar words were uttered. You didn't know how you had gone from Mindless Self Indulgence, going through several albums of theirs, to Chumbawamba's "Tubthumping", and finally stopping where you were at now, with "I Would Walk 500 Miles" by The Proclaimers, but you didn't mind. 

You hummed through all of the "Duh duh duh"s until the song sadly came to a close. Your entire body pleaded you to stop, and you decided you would, after one more song. You strode over to your phone, the battery life fully supporting your decision of only one more as it dipped into the red zone, warning you of its impending doom. You scrolled through the list of songs, wanting this next and final song to be positively worth it, and stopped at a familiar title. Your already wide smile grew as you clicked on the icon, a few seconds passing as you skipped back to where you had been dancing. 

"Come On Eileen" by Dexys Midnight Runners began to swirl around in the room, the lyrics dancing from your mouth as your body did to the movement. You couldn't contain your excitement, having fallen in love with the song several years earlier, and so you allowed the movements to slide out of you and into the room. Your heart pounded as you poured as much grace into your movements as you could, body twisting and fitting with the tune like a lost lover. The song was slower than the others you had been so readily dancing to, but you couldn't muster up the will to care. 

Your voice joined the one coming from the speaker from the very start, and having sung to many other tunes as well, it came out scratchy and gross. Still, you pressed on, wanting to put as much passion into everything, your dancing, your voice, even your heart was thumping along to the beat with something fiery and beautiful. If only you could put this much emotion into your should-be daily workouts, you thought idly to yourself. 

The air was pressed with a sensual atmosphere as you swayed and jumped, your legs barely being able to keep up with you as you lifted and lowered them. Your face hurt from the hours you had spent smiling, and your body was sore from the hours you had spent using it to its fullest dancing potential. Your head tilted and dipped as your body did, the rapid movement causing you to be dizzy by the time the song had drawn to a close. You were tempted, oh so very tempted, to hit the replay button, but you knew that would not be for the best. 

With a sad smile, you plugged your dying phone into its charger after closing out of YouTube, whispering to the device softly, "I'll be back." Your lips felt almost numb at that promise, and had your body had lips of its own, you were sure it would be releasing a barrage of protests at your words. You rose to a standing position, stretching your arms above your head and delighting at the soft crackle that sounded from your back. 

You sauntered over to the window, your legs feeling odd and knobby at the movement that was monumentally different from the off bobbing and jumping of moment's prior. You rested your hands on the windowsill and leaned forward, the curtains having been thrown back sometime earlier, possibly before you started dancing but you couldn't remember, to alert you when and if the sun decided to make an appearance. You scanned over your front yard and then Richard's, stopping on Undyne's for a heartbeat or four before sliding back to your own front yard. 

It had been some time since that original sleepover, weeks had dripped by like lazy raindrops, and there had been many since then. In fact, there had been a sleepover at either your home or theirs nearly every night, the skeleton brothers making an appearance every other sleepover or so, usually missing the ones at your home. Unfortunately, there would not be any more sleepovers for some times. You thought wistfully to this morning, when Alphys had talked to you over coffee. 

The bitter taste had been a fitting partner to the news she bore, informing you that she and Undyne would have to be taking a trip elsewhere for a few weeks. She had assured you that it would only be three at most, but the assurance had not done its job. The duo had left shortly after Undyne woke, venturing off to the Underground to pick up some lost artifact or rebuild something, neither had been very clear at outlining why they were heading back down below Mt. Ebott. You had promised to take care of their yard, not that it would really need it as the grass was starting to die, and their home while they were gone. It would be extra work, but it would be a fun mix up to your soon-to-be plain life. 

A shift in your peripherals guided your attention over to your right, and you watched as your neighbor stomped over to her driveway, throwing her hair to the side as she forcefully whipped her hand into the locks. You scowled slightly, you hadn't seen Linda in quite some time, and while it was awful to say so, you were hoping to keep it that way. You followed her as best as you could with several obstacles blocking her from your view until she turned into your driveway. Her furious expression only deepened as she looked up and made eye contact with you, your good mood dying out as your saw her lips begin to form words that were no doubt unkind. 

You sent a wayward glance over to your phone but decided not to pocket it, not that you had pockets in your sleepwear to do so. You shrugged, inwardly promising to do something should she try to do something similar to prior encounters, and began to walk towards your bedroom door, a loud knocking reverberating throughout your home ominously. Your tired body ached and groaned with every creaking movement you made, but you pressed on regardless. 

The stairs were especially hard on your more-than-a-little sore calves and thighs, causing you to wince with every step down. You made it to the first floor in more time than you or Linda would have liked, and took the few steps to the front door, hands locking over the doorknob. Your fingers twitched slightly, and you decided it would be best not to just open your home to someone who sounded likely try to deal you physical harm. "Linda, what do you need?" You cringed as your voice came out weak and crackled, increasing in pitch towards the end of your short sentence. 

A loud snarl responded to your words, and you jumped back, stunned, as something heavy forced against the door. You could see the wood straining as Linda rammed her body against it, and you decided, for the sake of protecting your home and yourself, to grab your phone and call Richard. Before you could fully turn around, however, a voice thick and laden with malice drifted into your home, "Open the door," Your name sounded evil coming from her lips. You didn't hesitate to race up the stairs, ignoring the twangs of pain that partnered with your sudden movements. 

You threw yourself into your room and grasped at your phone, thanking the stars as you saw that it as almost halfway done charging, more than enough to call Richard and anyone else you may need. Linda sounded absolutely insane, and her actions were pressing that idea into your head like a hammer. You unlocked your phone, cautiously stepping back downstairs where your door was groaning from the stress of Linda slamming into it. Fear curdled in your gut as your lips curled into a deeper scowl, and you shakily dialed for Richard. 

A dull click sounded in your ear, in time with one of the loud thuds, and a deep voice ran into your ears. "Hello?" You sighed in relief, but stiffened at Linda's enraged cry as it pierced through the wood to meet your ears. "Hey!" You gasped, backing up until your heels met with the bottom step. "It's me," You spoke your name, words coming out hoarse and worried. You were suddenly regretful that you had sung your voice out earlier, idly wondering if you would need it for whatever happened next. No, you tried to reassure yourself, you would get this settled. "Linda is here, and she is, um," You paused in thought.

How would you word this? Hello, Richard, Linda is here. Is she drunk? She is trying to smash my door into bits. Please help. Oh yes, that sounded marvelous, you thought to yourself sarcastically. "Currently acting a bit hostile. Where are you?" You finished, finally. The words came out awkward and rushed, but as the door creaked and groaned, you felt as though you could waste no time in trying to be tactful in word choice. "I'm at work, what is she doing?" Richard spoke up seconds later, sensing your distress. 

A particularly loud thud echoed in your home, and Richard no doubt heard both it and your sharp intake of breath through the phone. "Oh," He said, and you were at a loss. How could he sound so calm? Did he not hear what was happening? Linda decided to speak up, your name flying from her lips like a missile, "Open up! Ooh, I'll break down this door if I have to!" Your heart, formerly warm with jovial feelings, felt cold now. It felt like a lead canon ball stuck in your chest, planting you to the ground. 

Your fingers clutched the phone a bit tighter as you asked again what she wanted. Her angered cry sent you flying up the stairs, but you caught yourself halfway. You had dealt with things similar to this plenty of times, no need to be scared. But you were. Incredibly so. "She's fine," Richard assured you, and you felt as though unleashing a string of curses at him would not be punishment enough. "If you'll excuse me, I'm at work. I'm sure you can handle it," His voice furthered your fears. You had been so kind to him from the very day he, his wife, and his son had moved in!

The fruit of your labor was presented to you on a sharp platter as the sound of both your door being slammed against and your apathetic neighbor rang through your ears. Another click and the sound of being hung up on, not something you were very familiar with, became present as well. Your phone nearly dropped from your hand as Linda screeched your name angrily, demanding that you open the door that instant. 

Your teeth dug into your lower lip, threatening to draw blood as you tugged and squeezed at the flesh. Your energy had been sapped due to your enthusiastic dancing, but the adrenaline pumping through you promised a quick escape should you need to run. Your breath hitched and caught in your throat as that feminine growl licked at your ears once more, "You'd better open up." 

She sounded strikingly calm at that, despite the pounding that still shook your door. Your eyes widened, and you gulped as much air as you could, but you still could not breathe. The oxygen pressing into you appeared to be nonexistent as you stepped forward, preparing to leave your steps and face your neighbor. Your left foot hit the floor first, followed by your right, and you began to trudge towards the door slowly. You were cut off, however, as a bright, although not blinding, light flashed in front of you. 

You watched in great surprise as Sans closed the distance between himself and the door, unlocking it and throwing it open for you. His left hand flung out immediately, stopping your neighbor before she could charge into your home like the wild bull she was so adamant on pretending to be. Shock spread out into the air like a sickening perfume, permeating and clinging to everything it touched. You saw a blackness take over the corners of your vision, and you were absolutely sure that had you managed to bite back the fear and breathe, the air laden with shock and tension would have suffocated you anyway. 

"*hey, Linda. what's up?" You couldn't see it, but you were sure that his expression betrayed the joking tone of his voice that tried to disguise his anger. Even Linda, that unstoppable force, was halted by Sans, who appeared to be an immovable object in your doorway. You felt your rear end thud against a step painfully as you collapsed, your body desperately needing the oxygen that would not fill your lungs. You dropped your phone without a second thought. Your now empty fingers clutched at the cloth above your heart as you gathered the material close, feeling for your heartbeat. You heard Linda demand to know where you were, having heard you minutes prior, but all the sound was blocked off as you released your shirt and brought your other hand, now a closed fist, to the location where you had felt your heartbeat. 

The dull cracking of skin to cloth filled your ears as you tried to force air into your lungs, succeeding only when Sans turned to glance at you. Electricity shot through you, burning your skin and sending goosebumps to decorate your flesh, as his eyes alone restarted your ability to breathe. You took in gulps of the life-saving essence, not seeing as Sans turned back to deal with your neighbor. Your back pressed against the carpeted steps as your chest heaved, your body greedily sucking up as much oxygen as it could. 

Your chest felt tight, as though your ribs were crashing into one another with each inhale, separating only as you pressed breath out of your lips. "*she's here, yeah. you shouldn't be, though." Darkness took over your sight as you closed your eyes, feeling dizzy and weak. Your body drained of its adrenaline as you filled it with the air you had been so carelessly denied before. Your fingers lifted to dance along your throat as you wondered at what had happened. 

Your throat had just closed, and refused to open for anything. You couldn't pry it open, you couldn't force anything passed it. It was as though you were having an allergic reaction to the immense fear Linda's actions had brought, and Sans was the EpiPen you desperately needed. This thought sent others to spiral out as you thought about the sudden absence of the almost life threatening fear you had felt just moments prior. "You let me in, you grotesque..!" You ignored Linda and Sans both as they talked, surrendering yourself to your thoughts. 

Your body felt as heavy as your heart had, and you were sure that you wouldn't be able to move if you tried. As if taunting you, song lyrics from earlier teased into your mind, and if you focused on them too hard, you could hear the tunes that accompanied them as they swept by. And so you did, allowing the music to captivate you when the conversation in front of you could not. Your breathing slowed, though you would occasionally gulp in a deep inhale when you remembered how you had been unable to earlier. Your fingers continued to leave feather-light touches along your skin as you traced patterns and lines into the flesh. 

You knew you should have been paying attention to what was going on just steps away, but you found your mind clouded with thoughts of how you had nearly died. Had you nearly died? It felt like you had been close to death. Sans' earlier expression filled your mind the more you thought about almost dying. When he had looked at you, his gaze had been so full of things that were not Sans. 

Anger had seemed to radiate off of him in nuclear waves, sending your skin aflame and reawakening the ability to breathe. Though he had only looked at you briefly, fear had flickered in his empty eye sockets, and something in you knew it was because he thought he was losing you. How you knew, you did not know, he most likely hadn't known that you couldn't breathe, but you felt it and so you knew it to be true. His ever-present grin had almost not been there, stretched into a tight line that only lifted slightly at the left corner of his teeth. His cheekbones had been tinted blue only slightly, something no one, not even yourself, would have noticed in the heat of the moment. But replaying it in your mind, you could see it. 

He held an expression that was tight and airless, as though the skeleton who did not need to breathe was suffering a lack of oxygen of his own. You knew it couldn't be true, he had been speaking and still was, but the thought captivated you regardless. You toyed with it in your mind for several minutes as time whipped by you, only tuning into the conversation after it had reached its climax. "*you won't be bugging," Your name carried off of his teeth as if he were still afraid of losing you, but if Linda picked up on it, she made no move to announce it. "*will you?" 

The door clicked shut in her face after she had responded in the negative, and your very bones were set on edge as you waited for her to storm the door again. She didn't. You opened your eyes to find Sans staring down at you with an expression you could not name, and so you settled on worry. It was so much more intense than that, but you were tired of not being able to describe his expressions and his actions, you were tired of not being able to describe Sans. Settling for words that did not fit seemed almost cheap to you, but you were too exhausted for much else. 

Skeletal fingers gathered you and strong arms hefted you into the air from where you laid on the steps. He curled you against his chest and began the slow ascent to your room, and you moved to gather his jacket and ball the material in your fingers, but you were too tired to do anything other than bring your arms close to you. You felt it as he spun around to use his back to open your door, which you had left slightly ajar after you rushed out with your phone. He carefully maneuvered you so that you did not brush against the doorway in the slightest, and continued closer to your bed. 

He did not release you, even as he placed you in the center of the bed. You heard him kick off his slippers, and felt the bed dip with his added weight as he crawled onto it. Your eyes had closed well before he had stepped onto the final step, and you weren't keen on opening them, not even as you felt his body envelop yours in a pressing, and slightly intimate, embrace. His arms continued to circle you, drawing you as close as he possibly could without smothering you, and you let out a soft sigh. 

His legs tangled in yours, and your arms lay like statue pieces on the bed, your right hand left out of the hug. He removed his arm from beneath you to grab it and draw it in, entwining his fingers with yours and keeping them there, not making a move to separate or bring his arm back to where it had previously been. His scent, indescribable but you decided to keep it that way, surrounded you. It calmed your nerves even further than they had been, and had you had the energy to, you would have snuggled against him to bring it closer. 

His head lay above yours, mandible pressed against his jacket slightly as he nuzzled you gently. His voice did not break the silence that dotted over you two, and you did not allow yours to, either. The thought that you had work in the morning was waved away, the day was still young-ish, and you were too tired to get out from under him and retrieve your phone to check the time. The hand not currently occupied by Sans' was resting on your stomach, your legs were covered by Sans' bony ones, and you found happiness beginning to take over the numbness that had been in your heart minutes prior. 

You didn't know how long the two of you laid there, having drifted asleep after what felt like seconds, but when you awoke, you had enough energy to move. You wrestled your hand from Sans', wrapping both arms around his middle. He pressed into you deeper, obviously not having slept while you had, and his phalanges dug into your sides a bit more. He began to whisper to you, but his words were so quiet that despite your close proximity, you couldn't hear them. 

You knew it would ruin the sleepy atmosphere, but you spoke your thoughts, "I couldn't breathe," 

"*i know." 

That cut off your former idea that he could have had no clue. "You did?" 

"*i couldn't breathe, either." 

And that confirmed his earlier expression, which you had previously thought to be one belonging to someone who couldn't breathe. "You couldn't breathe, either?" 

"*mhm." 

He moved so that his head was nestled against your neck, forcing you to strain slightly to move your head away, allowing him as much access to your skin as he wanted. "I thought you didn't need to breathe?" 

"*i don't." 

Your brows furrowed. If he didn't need to breathe, and likely chose not to on a regular basis, how did he know he couldn't breathe? Did he just try to inhale, and found that he couldn't? And it was slightly odd that he couldn't breathe at the same time that you couldn't. Your lips opened to ask all the questions your mind had come up with, and was still coming up with, but he cut you off. "*my soul could not breathe." 

You closed your mouth, and he nuzzled you even more. You blushed slightly as you felt his teeth begin to press determined kisses on your throat, but hummed in thought regardless. Souls were things that the monsters talked about often, and some humans, too. It had been controversial at first, but once the monsters brought out the souls of a few humans, who had been deeply surprised at seeing something that could be described as their life essence displayed out in front of them, those who thought it to be blasphemy shut up. Some people had tried to get them to change the name, believing that it was too close to religious meaning, or something like that, but the monsters were persistent. 

"Why couldn't it?" 

"*because yours couldn't." His gruff response was punctuated with firm pecks of affection that began to sprinkle across your skin constantly, and he was only moving his way up. It felt as though he was trying to ensure that not a square centimeter of skin went untouched by his demanding teeth, and when he was satisfied with one area being thoroughly kissed, he would start on to the next. His mouth was so large that if he wanted to, he could just tilt his head repeatedly to gather a great deal of skin in one large kiss, but you had a feeling that that wasn't intimate enough for him. 

You ran your fingers along his spine, thinking as you went. Prior to Sans coming, air had passed through to you, but it hadn't gone through. It didn't make sense, and you were perplexed by it then and you were now, but in the heat of the moment, you had just decided that you were hyperventilating. Shortly after, your throat had closed, and you hadn't thought much of it anymore. Sensing your confusion, Sans mumbled into your skin, louder so you could make out what he was saying, "*when someone feels threatened or really scared, the soul shuts down. it won't breathe and will deny life until the thing threatening it goes away." He paused as he began to move up slightly so that he was kissing your mandible, having finished with your neck. "*it doesn't work, i don't know why it even does that, it usually just kills the host after it cuts off oxygen to the rest of the body." 

Your blood froze momentarily at that, your soul was trying to kill you? You tried to wrap your head around that thought, settling on the idea that your soul was trying to protect you by allowing you to pass before something could force you to. Still, suffocating was a terrible way to go, and you doubted Linda would kill you, anyway. "What does that have to do with you? Why couldn't you breathe?" 

Sans paused at that, moving so that his face was directly in front of yours, his pupils peering into your eyes. He scanned your expression for a moment before his eyes flickered back to where his teeth had been against seconds prior. He moved back there, not answering your question for several minutes, which prompted you to start again. Before the room could be filled with your voice, he began, "*when a soul is endangered, its mate feels the same effects. to a lesser degree. the soulmate will not die if the other does, but it will come close." 

He moved up again, is teeth brushing just below your lips before moving off to the side. The arm that was secured beneath you lifted you so that you were pushed against him slightly, the motive for this action unclear to you. Your thoughts were in as much of a flurry as your body had been hours previous, had Sans just referred to you as his soulmate? Or were you his soul's mate? Could a soul have many mates? Did he mean mate as in what some people called their friends? A giggle threatened to overtake you at that thought, but it died out when you thought that no one else had come running, and while you knew that what Sans had described was not true for humans, you had plenty of monster friends. 

His soulmate? The two of you weren't even dating! You'd only kissed twice, both times being at the first sleepover many nights prior. Your thoughts were cut off as that count rose to three, his teeth pressing against your distracted lips. 

His vigor and emotion surged through you like static, leaving little shocks on your lips that were so vivid they almost hurt. Your eyes closed, your world becoming dark once more. Sans didn't move on to the next area, paying your lips special attention as he worked on showing you just how he felt. Your legs twitched, one of Sans' knee coming to move in between them, stopping before it slid in between your thighs, and his free hand moved to the back of your head, pressing you deeper into the kiss. You could feel his energy, the soft thudding worry and wanting and so much more mingling in between the minuscule gap between you two which only widened as he pulled away. 

You looked up at him, a goofy smile adorning your lips as you spotted a similar one on his face. "*but you're okay. we don't have to worry." He removed his legs from yours, sliding the one from where it had sat between your knees, and sat on your hips. You curled to a seated position and hugged him close. He decided to explain, "*when my soul couldn't breathe, i searched for yours. i didn't hesitate to stop what had been causing your fear, i didn't even remember that i couldn't breathe until i heard your soul crying out for help." 

He leaned forward, teeth brushing against the top of your head and staying there. "*soul's are usually made free of their fear in the presence of their mate." You didn't know why he had to look at you, instead of just being there, for your soul to breathe again, but you didn't question it. "Is that why my emotions came flooding back after you held me?" He nodded, fingers brushing along your spine. "*your soul is what allows emotion. when it felt mine as close as it was when i held you, it no longer felt threatened." 

You decided to question what you previously decided not to question. "*you could breathe again because your soul knew mine was near. when we made eye contact, your soul knew that i was here, and i was going to stop whatever was hurting you." It didn't fully answer your question, but you let it slide. You turned away from Sans briefly to look at the window behind him, seeing the significantly darker skies that told you it was night. "*you could feel again because your soul felt mine." 

You thought back to your fear, which all in all had been slightly irrational. You weren't sure if it was because you were looking back on it and knew the outcome, but it really was silly. "*so, about the dog we're getting," You looked back to Sans, who had his trademark smile gracing his teeth. "*what do you wanna name it?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> <3 <3 <3!!
> 
> ***Thanks to Era_the_Outworlder for helping me fix a few things!!


	17. *what breed are ya thinkin' about

You stormed out of your house early the next morning, the full extent of your anger being released in a frightful glare which you cast upon the house to your right. You kept your stare trained on it as you stomped over to your garage, breaking your gaze only to pull out your bike and unlock the garage again. Fury pumped through your veins, and you were beginning to see why no one liked those lot of traitors. 

A snarl curled your lips as the word struck you, yes, they were traitors. Their son, probably not, but Linda and Richard? Oh, yes. At that moment, you were sure their faces would appear by the word in the dictionary. Maybe their names would even be found within the definition. You tugged the bike away from the garage and swung your leg over the seat, your glare just daring anyone to step out from those doors. Your gaze momentarily let up as you thought of their poor son, but it came back as you thought to his parents. 

When Undyne and Alphys came back, you sure as hell were not playing mediator anymore. Richard be damned, he was a _dick_ anyway. Your lips did not move from their scowl even as you thought of the pun, and you forced your eyes away from Richard's home. 

Sans had not stayed the night, leaving just before you fell asleep a final time. He'd brought your phone up to you, placing it beside your head before fully exiting your home. You had fallen asleep so early that you woke up with plenty of time to spare before you were due in to work, and the first thing you had noticed when you woke up was that rectangular device. You had spent nearly half an hour scrolling through messages, as they had built up monumentally since you last checked it. You could still feel your surprise when you saw Richard's number in there. He had left you a single text, and it broiled your blood and burned your bones. 

**-You know how woman are, don't you?-**

You hadn't bothered to text him back to see what he meant by that. After the stunt he had played yesterday in allowing his wife to ram into your door with what was likely the full intent to kill you, or at least deliver serious bodily harm, you decided traitors did not deserve any texts back. 

You dug into your jacket pocket for your phone, plugging the earbuds you had in hand into the device. You then pressed the buds into your ears, effectively cutting the world off as you pressed the Play button. Your new playlist, which was tactfully titled "rockin jams to listen to yo" began with the very familiar Chumbawamba song that you had been dancing to the day prior, "Tubthumping". You allowed a small smile to pass over your lips as the loud music sunk into your ears. Your anger had brushed away the cold, and the music distracted you from your anger, though not enough to allow you to feel the cold. 

As you began to pedal out of your driveway, you thought about how dangerous this was. You never wore earbuds to work because you were always tempted to turn up the music until it blocked off all other sounds, which you were currently doing. That wasn't safe. You reached into the pocket of your green jacket, the one Sans had given you which you had promised yourself you'd give back at some point, just not in the near future apparently, and searched the phone for the volume button. You turned it down until you could hear the dull calls of crows, and decided that you were alright. 

Your hand joined with the handlebar, and you picked up speed. Riding with one hand was fun, riding with none was downright exciting, but you didn't want to go very fast when you were doing either. You rode over the familiar streets, the biting cold nipping at your nose and snapping at your exposed neck, filtering into your jacket uncomfortably. You took a deep breath, shifting slightly as the air tried to freeze your lungs, and rose to a standing position. 

The pedals moved effortlessly as you pushed down on them, racing through the streets like a trained athlete. You so desperately wanted to sing with the motivating lyrics, but swallowed the urge with the air, breathing heavily as you went. You had taken up jogging in the mornings you did not have work, feeling a bit out of shape after your first bike ride home, and it certainly showed. The houses blurred by you as your tires screamed down the streets, and you rounded corners with enough agility to scare you. A rush of excitement and pleasure seared through your heart as you blazed down the asphalt, legs roaring in protest only slightly. 

The song faded out, and you continued on. Your phone bounced in your pocket, as if daring you to go faster so it could fly out, and you grinned. Cold air stung at your teeth, forcing you to hide them away with your lips. "Survivor" by Destiny's Child began to play, and you found yourself going even faster by the time the singer started. You were grateful that you had to be in so early, as no cars littered the streets, leaving your brakes untouched. You had no doubt that the stop would be gut wrenching and fear inducing thanks to your speed. 

Your fingers itched from both the cold and the desire to turn up the song and drown out the wind rushing in your ears. You were surprised the earbuds had yet to fall out, clinging to you as if for dear life. You slowed down a bit as you came to a red light, right about the stop being slightly scary. After pressing for answers last night, Sans had told you that the literally soul-stopping fear from last night had only affected you because you had been afraid of being harmed. Not all fear, as you had most definitely felt scared before and had not been affected so incredibly, would bring about the wild reaction. Still, you found yourself testing a deep inhale of air as you realized your sudden fear, grateful when it went in fully. 

You began again as the light turned from red to green. Your shoulders shimmied slightly as you danced as best you could to the music, minding your situation and position all the while. You could barely hear the tune before, the wind overpowering the sound, but now that you worked at a slower pace it rang in your ears. You continued to pedal hard, though, working towards the same speed as before. Your lips moved as the last of the lyrics slipped through your speakers. You wet your chapped lips with an equally dry tongue, nodding your head to the next song as it started. 

Your speed caused your store to come in view much sooner than it should have, and you turned into the parking lot before "Tear You Apart" by She Wants Revenge was halfway finished. You bopped along to the tune after dismounting, lips pursed as it drew to a close in time with a drop of water splashing onto your nose. You tilted your head skywards, noticing the dark clouds that threatened to release more water onto you if you didn't mosey your way inside. You decided not to leave your bike outside, dragging it into the storeroom and parking it in a corner decorated with nothing but unused pamphlets detailing the store's history. You weren't sure what they were for, but you were careful to avoid them, leaning your bike far away from them. 

You tugged out your earbuds as the last chord echoed from them, pulling your phone out and canceling the playlist before it continued. You smiled at the name briefly before shoving your phone into your pants pocket, shrugging your jacket off as you wandered over to the door connecting the main floor and the storeroom. You tossed the jacket onto a coat rack, shoving your earbuds into one of the pockets before plodding out the door. 

Immediately, you found yourself being followed. Reggie, the old and beloved dog, had been put in an absolute tizzy, according to coworkers, in your absence. He was no longer simply allowing you out of his sights, and he often raced out the front door after you when you had finished up your visits. He was not the only one, Max, that old calico, was currently yowling from his cage, demanding to be set free. Your sneakers squeaked on the linoleum as you wandered over to his cage, Reggie close behind. 

"Hey-a, Max," You reached behind the cage, "What's shaking?" He ignored your statement, which usually promised food, in favor of reaching his claws out of the cage for you. You pulled the food out and unlatched the top of the cage to begin filling his food, something you had not been allowed to do during your visits, and nearly jumped as a bundle of fur came sailing out at you. Max crawled out of his cage, gently crawling up your arm before resting on your shoulder. 

You cocked your head to look at him, his expression smug and delighted. He carefully studied you before lowering himself to rub his head against yours. You nuzzled your nose against his soft ears before turning back to the open cage and pouring food into the bowl. Once finished, you fully expected the cat to plod back into his cage, and when he didn't, you shrugged, inwardly so as not to disturb him, and placed the food back where it was. You kept the cage open for when he decided to climb back in and walked off. 

It was hard to walk with a cat perched high on your shoulder and a German Shepard constantly pressing his wet note to your right hand, but you continued on regardless, taking care of each animal as you went. Their cages had been cleaned last night, you noted, and wouldn't need to be cleaned again until midday. You washed out each bowl and filled them with fresh water and food, the work a great deal slower with your company, but a bit more enjoyable. 

Max would occasionally reach down to brush his head against you, his loud purr a constant ring in your ears as you worked. You were delighted at his sudden affection, regretful that you had to leave to bring it. Maybe you should get a cat, too? You finished up with all of the animals, including the insect cages which demanded a lot more attention than you would have expected, and made your way back to Max's cage. 

You reached up to stroke his scratchy fur, and his purr grew louder as he shuffled on your shoulder to brush against your head with his body. His tail flicked against your head as you tried to hook a hand beneath his barrel to place him back in the cage, claws digging into your work shirt slightly. You cringed as one of the offending claws ran along your skin lightly, you would be taking a cat home with you whether you liked it or not if this continued. 

The bell above the front door chimed, signaling the entry of the first customer of the day. You began to whisper to Max as Reggie started to wander over to his usual spot, but went back to your side almost immediately. Apparently whomever the customer was was familiar enough that Reggie did not feel as though he needed to move off to the corner. You smiled at that, Reggie shouldn't have to move anyway. 

"C'mon, Max," The cat purred even louder, the loud thrum filling your left eardrum. "I have to get to work, customers are starting to come in," The cat stuck to your shoulder regardless of your attempts to pry him off. Your brow furrowed and your lips twisted in a playful frown as he climbed so his front paws rested on your head, laying on you in a way that could not be comfortable. "Ooh, you're stubborn today," 

The cat simply continued to purr louder than you had heard him in all your time at the store, you weren't actually sure if you'd ever heard the normally grumpy cat purr before. Still, you had customers to attend to, and you so you raised your hands to where he was positioned. You frowned as you found he had selected a near perfect position, it was almost impossible for you to get a good hold on him. You were not going to walk around with a cat on your head, though. While it was cute, it also looked unprofessional. 

The weight was lifted from your head before you could ponder the issue further. Max was as stunned by the sudden movement as you were, apparently, as his claws did not scrape at your skull. "*hey, pal." You turned to see Sans turn the old cat so that Max was pressed against his jacket. One arm supported him from below as Sans began to pat the fur adorning Max's back. "*how are you _feline_ today?" He looked up at you with that, winking as he executed the joke. 

You chuckled to yourself softly, shaking your head at him. "I'm doing okay. I'm pretty sure Max is feeling _purr_ fect right now, though." The cat looked as though he was feeling anything but jovial at being transferred from you to Sans, his usual hiss flying from his jaws as he clawed at Sans. You sighed at that, scooping him out of Sans' arms and placing Max back in his cage before he could latch onto you again. You locked the cage up, dodging as a paw tried to snag at your shirt through the bars. "So, whatcha doing here?" You asked, turning to smile at Sans. 

Your soul radiated through your body, and Sans' reacted by trying to tear through his. It had been difficult to control last night, almost impossibly so, and so it was a relief that his soul had calmed down slightly. Slightly wasn't good enough, though, and Sans had to cough lightly until his soul was all the way in again. His soul's call for yours had been strong before, but after the events of yesterday, your soul responded in kind, and he could sense it. "*thought i'd visit my verte _bae_." He finally choked out, inwardly yelling at his soul to calm down. 

You, on the other hand, were unaware of your soul's desire. You hadn't been exposed to it, and so while it had a strong connection to you, it was not overpowering. It was virtually nonexistent, aside from the twinge of joy that had spread through you when you heard Sans' voice, which you had dismissed as being glad to see a friend. 

You scowled at the awful joke, and told him how bad it was. "Are all skeletons this cheesy?" He grinned, and you could almost physically feel him preparing a pun. "Nope, don't you do it. Forget I asked." He leaned in closer to you, nearly falling over as you moved away from him. You sauntered down the rows of cages, calling over your shoulder, "But seriously, what's up?" 

He trudged after you, fists clenched in his pockets as he willed for his soul to stop its loud cry. Your soul was no help, though. It beckoned for his, singing and yelping for him to come closer so your souls could mingle. Your soul's fondness for him would have been very helpful several weeks prior when he was searching for you, he grumbled to himself. "*i gotta pick up food for Looks, Orange, and Princess." You flashed him a smile as you turned towards the appropriate row of shelves, and he cursed his soul for thumping hard at that. 

Sans really had to stop and wonder if 'Monster Heat' was a real thing as he watched you reach up for the proper food. You were informing that they had recently received a shipment of this new type of food for the fish, the Balloon Bellied Mollies picking up in popularity for some odd reason. The new type of food was supposed to give the fish energy that would allow them to be more playful. He watched as you turned towards him, two bags in hand, asking which one he'd like to get. Your soul was like an invisible beacon, and his clenched fists tightened. Any tighter, and he might find himself with a few broken phalanges. 

"*i think i'll try the new food. sounds cool." He closed the distance between you two, hefting both bags out of your arms. He placed the unwanted one back in its previous position and rested the new one against his hip as he leaned it out to read the label. The bag wasn't very large, but it promised two month's worth of food for three to five fish, which was too bad. He'd need to find a reason to visit you at work for the next two months that wasn't food related. 

You smiled up at him, "I'll ring you up, okay?" You took his hand and lead him to the checkout counter, frazzling his nerves further. His soul felt tight from how hard he had to constrict it to keep it under control. His cheekbones were flush as he clenched his teeth, electricity sparking from where the two of you were joined. You released his hand after what felt like a century of forced control to him. You stepped aside and behind the counter, pulling out your wallet as you went. He scowled at that, soul momentarily forgotten. "*i got it." 

You waved him off, but he was pushing money over the counter before you could fish the proper amount out of your wallet. You shrugged, entered the item in the register and handed Sans the correct change. "You want this in a bag?" You asked, smiling as if you could feel the question roll of his invisible tongue before he said anything. 

"*i thought it already was in a bag?" He winked at you, and you noticed a slight strain to his movements. Huh, what was that about? You shrugged it off, not wanting to dwell on it too much. You slid the already bagged bag of food to his side, wandering from out behind the counter a moment later. You checked the clock above the counter briefly, which read eight minutes to nine. You were there until closing at six, your lunch break at noon, which you would likely spend cleaning the cages. 

Opening to closing, a busy work day, and you loved it. Your face hurt from all the smiling you had done in the past few days, moving to a lopsided grin as you thought about the calming atmosphere that was kept in the store. You really regretted leaving it after you had made your hasty, and irrational, escape. You were glad to be back. 

You looked up at Sans, your goofy smile still gracing your lips. His pupils twanged at that, wanting to release a bit of his soul's desire and morph into those cursed hearts at the sight of your delighted expression. He had to get out of there before his soul absolutely popped, you were too cute, too beautiful, too you. 

You provided him the perfect escape. "Shouldn't you be at work?" He smirked at that. The air stilled briefly as he told you that he was on a break, and your laughter sang through the air. He could not take this. Your soul's essence splashed into the air like an invisible rainbow, the color flickering out of his peripherals before he could place it on the spectrum. Your soul taunted his briefly, and he felt his pop out of his chest, glowing beneath his layers of clothing. "Don't let me keep you, then," You placed your hand on his back, turning him away from you and pushing him towards the door. 

His soul protested immediately, causing a grimace to drizzle across his features. As best as a grimace could, being on an ever-smiling skeleton. You pushed him out of the door, and he suppressed the urge to turn and add to the kiss count, feeling another set of eyes on his person. He could sense that your boss was watching from who knows where, and he knew his already present soul would try to press through his clothing even more than it already was. He chuckled and waved to you as he exited the store, a dull chime marking his exit. 

You smiled and spun on your heels, marching back into the store to busy yourself further. It was during your lunch break, which was currently spent cleaning out mucky cages in place of eating, when you were interrupted again. Your phone was buzzing in your pocket, an odd occurrence because you had set it to vibrate only if someone was calling, and hardly anyone called you until at least six thirty in the evening. You pulled your phone out, whipping it so its screen faced you. 

An unidentified number displayed on the screen, and you narrowed your eyes at it. All of your friends were in your contacts, anyone who had your number was in your contacts. You slid your finger across the screen horizontally to accept the call. Bringing it to your ears, you started, "Hel-" 

"Oh!" Your name was exclaimed through the speaker loudly, and you pulled the phone away from your ear. Linda's distinct voice screeched through the phone as you held it away from you, "I have to apologize for yesterday! I don't know what came over me!" Her laughter echoed in the store, and you nearly ended the call. Deciding better of it, you wobbled the phone on your shoulder and bit back the pain of her voice slamming into your eardrum, finishing up the cage you were on. "I just couldn't help myself! Oh, you must understand!" 

You waved to your boss as you exited the main floor and entered the storeroom. You waltzed over to your bike and leaned against the wall it rested against. "Linda," You started, your voice quieting her for a few seconds. "What do you want?" 

"To apologize!" She gasped, as though it was blasphemous that she would call for anything else. You figured Richard had given her your number, and scowled at that. "I don't know what came over me, as I said! I just felt a sudden rush of anger towards those..things! Oh, you must know how it is. And then I remembered that you were friends with the creatures, out of pity I'm sure, and I found myself knocking your door down!" Close to, you thought inwardly as she tried to explain herself. "You must forgive me!" 

You wanted to call her garbage and tell her to stew in her literal trash can of a home, but decided against it. She insulted your friends, nearly broke down your door, and was an absolute disaster, but you were the better person. "So, your monster-phobia took over you. Huh." She screeched an affirmative at that. Did she know how gross it was to be a monsterphobe? She didn't know how gross she was, so probably not. You frowned at that, you were being harsh. Not that she didn't deserve it, but you were the better person in the situation. 

"Oh, it was positively dreadful! I'm so sorry for how much I must have frightened you! You were no doubt beyond yourself in fear, but you couldn't possibly be as fearful as I was when I saw that monster open your door instead of you! Oh, I was sure he must have eaten you, or..or...Or something!" Or something. Like save you from her. "I was just so angry, I can't explain it! Oh, it's their fault!" Your brow furrowed at that, but you stayed silent. "They should just move out!" 

"Or you should." 

Her excited rambling stopped, and all was silent for a brief moment. "Excuse me?" 

"You're not excused," You started, exhaling. A rush of air left your lips, no doubt shocking Linda as it filtered loudly into the phone. "I suggested that you move instead. If your monster-phobia was so powerful that it took over you, maybe you should move somewhere suited better for you." Like hell, maybe? Yeah, go to hell, Linda. "But I think you should look at the neighborhood you pick before you select a house. This neighborhood was pretty diverse when you came, and it's not going to change anytime soon." 

You smirked as you imagined Linda just gawking at her phone. She tried to start talking again, your voice heavy coming from her lips, but you cut her off again. "I'm sure my friends would appreciate it if you left, too. And yes, my friends. As in Undyne, Alphys, Sans, Pap, Napstablook, Jerry, Woshua, all of them. Wait, do you even know their names? They're all monsters. I'd name some humans, but your bias doesn't extend to them, so," You wished you could see her expression. You could imagine it, eyebrows raised and lips pursed in disgust, but it wasn't the same as actually seeing it. "But you don't need to worry about apologizing, Linda," 

"There's no forgiveness on my end, and there won't be." You finished with a smile, knowing you were being childish. It felt so good to indulge in the bad attitude she had brought, you couldn't deny it. You waited to be hung up on for the second time in two days, but the dull click and harsh tone never sounded. It was silent on her end, and you got up and walked over to your boss' desk, eyeing the desk clock for a moment. You had thirty three minutes left before you had to return to work, and while you'd love to continue digging into Linda, you had cages to clean. 

You idly wondered if your words would lead to vandalism. You wouldn't put it passed her, you figured her to be as spiteful a woman as she was hateful. After a few more minutes of silence, during which you pondered if you should just hang up, she spoke again, "You're rude." Her declaration confused you for a moment, but you shrugged it off. The sound of being hung up on filled your ears, and you turned off your phone and exited the storeroom to continue cleaning up the cages you had missed. 

After your break was up and your shift had carried out with a hitch, you texted Sans. 

**-Hey, I'm about to head over to my place.-** You lifted your jacket off of the rack and placed it on your shoulders, throwing your phone in one of the pockets before walking over to your bike and making the short journey to the exit. You hauled it outside, grimacing as rain plopped onto the pavement not protected by the roof, which extended over the sidewalk by a foot or so. It was heavy and gross, and you were at a loss for what to do. 

You had ridden home in the rain before, but never during winter. It didn't usually rain in winter. Would you get sick? Your stomach turned at the thought of not being able to return to the store for a few days, you wouldn't want to get anyone sick, including the animals. As if it would help you come to a decision, you pulled your phone out again and checked it, ignoring the other notifications in favor of clicking on the one labeled Lazybones. 

**-it's raining-**

**-I know.-**

**-are you going to ride out in the rain or did you bring your car-**

**-I have my bike. I think I might wait it out, it's pretty heavy. I'm sure boss man will let me back in.-**

**-it's late as is. do you know when the rain will stop-**

**-Nope.-** Wait it out or chance it? You narrowed your eyes at the downpour as it increased. That was certainly helping you choose, but not really. 

**-I think I'm just going to go for it. It's not that heavy.-**

**-bull-**

**-i'm coming to get you k-** You scowled at that response. There was no way in Linda's home, hell, that Papyrus' car could fit your bike. You could leave it behind, but you didn't want to be dependent on Sans or Papyrus tomorrow morning. 

**-Don't worry about it, I'm just going to go for it. I'll text you when I get home.-**

"*no you won't." You started as two strong arms wrapped around your middle. You let out a short hiss of surprise, not wanting to question his sudden car-less arrival. You turned your head to face him, but he nuzzled into your hair before you could look at him. You squirmed in his grasp, and he only tightened his hold in response. "*close your eyes, 'kay?" You rolled them instead, and he urged you to actually close them. 

Your grip tightened on your bike reflexively after your word had grown dark, the ground beneath you having disappeared for a moment. Your soul sparked in worry, and his attempted to react, but Sans fought it. You weren't ready, he tried to tell himself, but his soul reached out regardless. 

When you opened your eyes, lungs filling with air, you had voluntarily held your breath when the sensation of weightlessness washed over you, and you scanned the familiar sight of your garage. You turned to face him, resting your bike on the wall closest to you before doing so. His arms drew you close as he pressed his body against yours, resting his mandible atop your skull. You didn't ask what had happened, you had questioned him about it last night when you recalled him flashing in front of you. Still, it felt weird to experience it, and you were silent for a few heartbeats. 

"*so, when we get a dog," His voice rumbled against your body. "*what breed do you want? that'll help determine the name." You let out a soft chuckle and nuzzled into the fabric of his jacket, wrapping your arms around his middle. "*we gotta really think about this stuff. do we wanna go small, or large? 'cause if we start small, we could get a _New_ Yorkshire Terrier, or just a _terrierfying_ one. we don't have to be specific with the Terrier breed, if you want a Terrier." Your smile widened. 

"I was thinking large, like a Labrador?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm always breathless reading the comments, you're all so kind! <3 <3 <3!!
> 
> ***Thanks to Era_the_Outlander for helping me fix a few things!!


	18. *i was thinking something along the lines of a German Shepard

When you drifted off to sleep last night, you hadn't expected Sans to stay the night, and so you were pleasantly surprised to find him directly in front of you when you opened your eyes. Or you would have been, if you could see over the bright blue object that was staring you down. You blinked at it, was that a cartoon heart? It was nearly pressing against your face, it was so close, that you could hardly make out the shape. 

The glow it emitted was fierce, and you wondered if you had really woken up of your own volition, or if the light bled into your eyelids and shook you from sleep. You began to sit up, the heart following you the whole while. You barely registered Sans' arm tightening around your waist, but you certainly felt his face nuzzling into your right side. Not wanting to wake him up for what likely was a sleep induced hallucination, you didn't voice your questions. 

What was this thing? It was radiating a warmth that was close to scalding, but instead of worrying you like something this hot should have, it only threatened to turn the corner of your lips skyward. This thing brought jovial feelings to dance along your heart, and you weren't sure if it was the closeness or the fact that it was there. Why was it here? You studied it, feeling as though your retinas were going to strain too much as you ran your gaze along the almost sun-like object. 

Your hands reached up without you thinking about raising them, lifting to brush lightly against the thing. Before you could think about how soft it felt, the thing lowered so it was directly in front of where your heart was located, and literally rammed into you. You let out a small rush of air, "Oomph!", the thing sure packed a punch. You squinted at it as it moved back, most likely preparing to charge at you again. You had no time to think about the rush of excitement that filtered through you when it had slammed into you, nor could you think about how small bolts of electricity were shooting along your skin, starting at where it had hit you. 

You cupped the heart in your hand, closing both hands over it to prevent escape. Sans breathed sharply, something akin to a pleased groan lifting into the air from his teeth. You would have blushed heartily had you not been busy dealing with whatever was in your hand. You cautiously moved your hands in front of your face, feeling feather-light caresses from where the heart was brushing against your skin. You opened the heart a crack, and it took the opportunity to lash out and try to escape through the gap you had made. 

It's insistent thumping was not hurtful, instead filling you with need instead of fear. You felt something tugging at your chest, or rather, in your chest. You glanced down and back to the object repeatedly, there was obviously a correlation between the two things. It was too early for you to think, you decided. Oh, wait, that was thinking. 

You shook the last vestige of sleep from your mind and concentrated on the object in front of you, warding off your inner argument. "Hey," You whispered so softly, you weren't sure if you actually spoke. "What are you?" The heart brightened as you spoke, appearing to be excited that you were paying it that much attention. The tugging sensation in your chest grew as well, almost unbearable now. Was this your soul? Did it want to go back in? You tried to recall what souls looked like from when you had last seen them on the television and decided yes, this was your soul. What was it doing out? 

You grasped it gently, preparing to place it back where it belonged. The heart shined so bright, you were sure its colors were louder than the sun's. You began to move it towards your chest, causing it to beat happily, but your hold on it was so light that Sans snatched it out of your hand easily. He had rose to a seated position without you noticing, his cheeks blue with something similar to frustration as he pushed the cartoon heart to his chest, turning his gaze to you only when it had reluctantly slipped in. He regarded you with pupils that were practically beacons of love, their heart shapes mirroring the one you had seen just seconds prior. 

You smiled at him and his soul immediately popped out again. 

He grunted loudly, grabbing at it before it could finish its short journey back to your chest. Its determination filled you with a spout of your own, and you moved closer to both him and it. You voiced the question that had been on your mind for the last few minutes, not desperately needing answers, but they would be appreciated. "Is that my soul?" You were fully awake now as it shone up at you, a genuine smile twanging at your lips. You missed it as Sans nodded, too focused on the heart to notice. He pressed the heart closer to you at your question, keeping a firm hold on it all the while. 

"*yours is mine, and mine is yours." You looked up at that. "This is your soul?" You asked, training your gaze back on it after you saw him nod in response. You studied it almost as intensely as it studied you, waiting for your soul to make an appearance so the two could join like it wanted. Sans could not quiet the offending soul any longer, you had touched it and it wanted more. It wanted you to trace patterns in it lovingly, it wanted your soul to mix with it while he embraced you, it wanted all of your attention and love. His soul was greedy, and you were only feeding into its desire. 

You idly tapped your fingers to your chest, attempting to alleviate the strain on it. It hurt so much, it was almost painful, and you had no doubt that if Sans wasn't there currently, it would have been. If prior explanations were anything to go by, his soul was chasing away bad feelings, thoughts, and emotions. You thought about how he had proclaimed the two of you to be soulmates, coupled with the statement that had just left his lips, you were quick to come to a conclusion. "Is it waiting for my soul?" 

The blue heart jerked and began to spasm in his hold at that, fully expecting you to pull yours out. You furrowed your brows at it, and looked up at Sans, who nearly had a heart attack from your expression. As was custom now, you had caught your lower lip with your teeth and were gently pulling at the flesh, and coupled with your darkened cheeks and curious eyes, you were the definition of cute. His head tilted back as he surveyed your ceiling, feeling as though he could handle no more. You had other plans, though, twisting your body so that you were no longer seated on your rear, and instead on your knees. You pressed an open palm to your chest, fingers curling the fabric slightly as you moved your hand to a fist. You moved your first away from your chest, and let out a short gasp of surprise as something popped out after you spread your fingers. 

Sans' soul was in a frenzy now, the object of its desires being exposed to the room. Sans quickly turned his gaze to it, nearly giving himself whiplash as he moved his head to study the object in your hand. Your own soul began to quake, never having been brought from its home in you before. It was invisible for a few seconds, but after getting a feel for the air, it began to burn with color. 

Shades of green colored from within in an exclusively verdant rainbow. The color thudded so fiercely that you nearly fell over from the force it was emitting, oh stars, it was way too early for this. Having been successfully roused from slumber, your soul began to press into all the yearning it had been unable to before. You were full of immense need to push it forward and join the two souls, but hung back. You were shaking as you tried to control the urge that had taken over you, looking up at Sans fearfully. You hadn't tried to pull out your soul, your actions coming to you as a second nature though you didn't understand why, and now that it was out, you wished you'd never done anything. 

"What's happening?" You breathed the words out in soft whispers, staring into his sockets as if they held the answer. Sans on the other hand was trying hard to contain both himself and his soul, which was currently assaulting him with needs and wants in a vicious and cheap attempt to sway his decision in favor of joining it with yours. Your soul, which had had enough of the chilly air and wanted nothing more than to fuse with the blue heart just inches away, pulled at you. You didn't look at it, closing your fingers around it without thought, and you continued to try and urge Sans to explain. 

Sweat began to drizzle down his bones and his grip on his soul grew sweaty and unreliable. Sensing this, his soul began to jerk with more fervor, fighting to slip free and crash into your soul, which was currently brightening to try and call his closer. Sans closed his sockets, willing for the distractions biting at him to disappear so he could focus. You had an ominous feeling that allowing your soul to do what it so readily desired would be beautiful in every way, but would be painful as well. You had a gut feeling that it was not a good idea to allow the two to meet physically. 

"*they wanna partner with each other," You nodded, you had gathered that much. You didn't press it much further, seeing his strained expression as it bled onto his features. You grabbed your soul a bit tighter and brought it closer to your chest, much to the discomfort of both souls, and by extension, both of you. You pressed your soul into your chest and turned away from the skeleton currently sitting in your bed. You kept your hand over your heart in case your soul should choose to escape like Sans' had and used your other hand to grab at your phone. You clicked it on with slight difficulty, and noted that it was the blue glow that had roused you, the time reading four minutes to four. You needed to be up soon anyway, but the time frazzled at your nerves regardless.

You had a feeling it was your soul's attempt to make you release the grip you had over it. It was not as forward as Sans' was, but it did not like being denied what it wanted. "I'm going to go take a shower, okay?" Sans grunted in response and you wobbled over to your dressers, pulling out the clothes you would need for work and sneaking undergarments, walking over to your bedroom quickly. 

Once the door shut and you disappeared from sight, Sans released his soul, which began to move frantically in search of either you or your soul. It turned back to him angrily and a similar simmering attitude slipped into his glare as he stared it down. "*what was that?" He hissed furiously, all of his control having gone to waste in his sleep. His soul flickered rapidly at him in response, and he reprimanded it further, "*you cannot just do things like that. you can't." A few more flickers. "*it's irresponsible for one! and two, they aren't ready! did you see her soul? it was invisible. it was a virgin to the outside world." Rapid flicks shucked off of the offending soul. "*i don't care what signals it was sending!" 

The two argued for some time, the noise being effectively blocked off by the running water and soundproof walls. As you scrubbed at your scalp, you inwardly chided your soul. You didn't know what would happen if you had allowed it to do as it wished, but you had a feeling it would not have ended well, and you knew that it could pick up on your feelings. Your soul was reckless due to its wants, and you reminded it of your needs. Your need to secure your friendship with Sans, not ruin it. Your need to understand what was going on before pressing further into the unknown. Your need to keep your soul safe, and you had a foreboding feeling that your soul would disregard that in an attempt to reach its goal. 

Was its goal destroying itself? It seemed like it, and so you told it. It felt odd having an actual conversation with someone, or rather something, else inside of you. Your soul wasn't the best conversationalist, no words being used on their end, but just as you could feel it pressing emotion into you, it conveyed its thoughts wordlessly. You finished working on your hair and began to rub at your body, the soap gliding on your skin easily. "We need to work in tandem," You whispered softly. "We can't be against each other, you need to be willing to work with each other." Your soul advised you of the same thing, and you groaned. 

Your closed fist pressed against exposed skin, and similar to what you had done earlier, you pulled away from your chest. Opening your hand, your soul flew away from the stream of water that threatened to drip against it. If it had eyes, it would most definitely be glaring at you. Instead, it almost violently flashed at you, demanding answers that you didn't have to give, but it could sense your thoughts anyway. 

You bowed as you ran the bar along your left leg, staring up at the heart. "You need to calm down," You warned after it had finished its light dance. That only seemed to spur another one, and your heart began to lash out on you. You switched over to the right leg, grimacing as your soul spoke to you. "Fight me, I dare you." 

You both paused briefly, but within a heartbeat your soul was wildly moving in front of your face. Its angry chants echoed in your skull, and you threw your arms up to protect yourself, the soap dropping from your fingers. "Do it, nerd, I bet you won't!" You teased, a small smile dancing along your lips as you picked up on the false anger your soul was determined to press into you. The soul momentarily forgot about the water dripping onto it, shaking in what you assumed to be laughter. Souls are weird. 

"Yeah, I knew it. Knowledge comes with being a Pun Master," Your soul froze at that, ignoring how your nose crinkled with amusement. It began to send a flurry of words into your skull, most being the name, "Sans" and "Soul". You frowned and moved to turn off the shower, your soul brightening in relief as the offending droplets ceased their fire. You draped a towel over your body as you stepped out, leaning forward to wrap one around your hair. You rose to a standing position and moved towards the sink, grabbing your toothbrush once you were close enough to. "But seriously, you need to calm down. We're not even dating!" Your soul reminded you that people who kiss are usually dating, and the two of you have kissed three times. "Y'okay, but usually doesn't mean always." Your soul huffed at the childish explanation, and you shrugged, forcing the toothpaste laden bristles against your teeth. 

Though the two of you could talk without needing actual words, your soul waited until you had spat out the last of the minty froth and you rinsed out your mouth with water. As you washed at the corners of your lips, responding only when you had wiped away the last of the suds. "Yes, I'm sure his soul does want to join with you, but that doesn't change my mind." Your soul mocked you for a few seconds, the light becoming vibrant as it taunted you, and you rolled your eyes. "Who's being childish, now?" Your soul hummed, static crackling in the air, before replying that it was still you. 

You began to dress quickly, sliding fabric onto your body with ease. Your soul lifted over to your shoulder once you fitted your jacket over your torso and perched there, similar to how Max had yesterday, but it didn't brush against you purposefully. After you were fully dressed and your towels were hung up, you walked over to the door, warning your soul that you would catch it if it tried to fly away. 

Your bedroom swam into view as you moved the bathroom door to the side, steam streaming into the already warm bedroom. You turned off the bathroom light and found that Sans was gone. Your room was two occupants heavy, if you included your soul, three if you included Napstablook's mannequin. Your gaze wandered over to the window as thunder rumbled outside, and you stepped over to the light switch by the door joining the hallway and your room. You flicked it, the calm light that shone out of light bulbs nearby washing away any idea of going back to sleep. The darkness that had previously covered over the room like a tarp was whisked away, and you smiled. 

If your soul had lips, it would not be smiling. It was frantic in its search for Sans', and you brushed by it on your way to your phone, which had begun to buzz for your attention. Your alarm was going off, and after dismissing it, you found a message from the missing skeleton awaiting you. 

**-soul is being a jerk. sorry. i'll talk to you later k-** You texted back quickly, hitting send before tossing your phone back onto your bed and moving to console your distraught sole, which was shooting melancholy emotions your way. 

**-Okay, I guess I'll be Shiba Inu later."**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Souls are weird


	19. *i like the name Reggie

Your smile split your face as you dipped in time to the ravishing beats that poured from your phone's speakers. You cracked an eye open to glance at the glowing green ball of speed as it mashed to the tune of your music, your grin only widening as the excited heart buzzed so quickly you could hardly make out the shape of it. 

You reached out your right arm, crooking your fingers at it. The soul dashed into your palm before racing up your arm, and you extended your left as it dashed across the miniature bridge you had put up. Your soul could not speak, but you heard its words loud and clear as it screeched along to the song with you. The only indication that it had any clue about the beat being its wild thrashing and erratic flashes of light, the two of you danced a wild dance. Your soul was so happy, its light snapped at the darkness, warding it away and forcing it to hide in the corners of your room. 

Your soul swirled around you as you moved, the odd dance not fitting the song in the least. As if either of you cared. The odd twitch and fervent slump of your body often matched the would-be somber tune, but aside from that, the two of you danced to "Coin Operated Boy" by The Dresden Dolls as if it were the most uplifting tune YouTube had to offer. Your giddy hops and your soul's hyper dashing filled the room in a constant allure of motion that left you winded by the time the song ended. 

You looked at your soul, a silent question passing between you two. In its wordless and odd way, it told you to play the song from earlier, the one that had set it on edge and was filled with cruel beauty. You giggled, your soul having described many songs in the same way, but didn't wait for clarification. You moseyed over to your phone and scrolled through your history, selecting "The Killing Type" by Amanda Palmer. You looked over your shoulder towards your soul, but it was already moving again. You had made the right choice. 

You jumped back into action, bopping along with your soul and forgetting that you knew how to dance. You didn't know how to dance with a partner that could fit in the palm of your hand, but if your soul minded, it didn't mention it. Your hands flailed and flopped, disturbing the would-be peaceful air as you crashed the serenity over and over again with your spastic movements and disturbing motions. You didn't know this song very well, so you didn't try to sing along, but your soul apparently wanted you to get well acquainted with the tune. 

That green blur sped around your head twice before flying off to another corner of the room, and you found yourself literally shaking with happiness. Why didn't more humans find their souls? They were amazing! Your hips thrust forward in time to the beat as it came to a close, your soul demanding immediately that you replay it. Yes, you were most definitely going to know all of the words by the end of your impromptu dancing session. 

The day had started off well, aside from you having woken up early. It had been a few days since you last saw Sans, he assured you it was for the best as his soul was not as understanding as yours apparently, and before you could even blink, it was Friday, your day off. You had cracked your eyes open before dawn could shake itself over the horizon, and your soul, feeling melancholy at the loss of its mate, wanted action, excitement, and dancing. And so you had obliged. Its nonexistent words were so heartbreaking to hear, you felt your actual heart strain for the cartoon one. That was a few hours ago, and the sun was appearing in a brilliant sunrise that the two of you were too busy to notice. 

You were roused from your thoughts as your soul bumped against you playfully. While you had been surveying the day's events thus far, you had stopped dancing, and your soul be damned if it would allow it to be the only one making a fool of its self. A giggle bubbled from your throat and you went back to your off rocking, the tune carrying over you as you once again lost yourself, this time to the music instead of your thoughts. 

You were radiating a happiness your soul couldn't help but reflect. It brightened until the sun could not ever hope to surpass its light, careful to dim whenever your eyes would open. The room was flooding with the elegant green glow and your beautiful laughter, and had anyone walked in, your soul doubted heavily that they would be able to pick up on the would-be disturbing music. Satisfied that it was no longer alone, your soul flitted off to a corner of the room, dancing there briefly before darting somewhere else. 

When the song ended, you replayed it. You replayed it again and again until you could sing the words without a tune, until you could hum the entire song without a second thought. The hours slipped beyond the both of you before your soul asked for a different song, and you absently clicked on the next Amanda Palmer song that came up. The room was filled with spastic dancing again as "Runs In The Family" poured from your speakers. 

You turned to your soul, arms reaching out and it flew into your embrace dutifully before separating to a proper distance. Placing your hands where shoulders would be if your soul had them, the two of you began to dance formally to the eccentric tune, your hips shaking as you waltzed. The two of you moved to the beat, making the waltz turn to something more of an askew tango, but you both pressed on. The climax of the song rose up and your spirits lifted even more than they had previous until you were sure that they could go no further. You could feel the happiness emitting from your soul and it filled you with an emotion that captivated you and caused you to spill more passion into the dance than before. 

Your steps became heated and your soul began to spin and twirl and twitch, feeling the full force of your emotions as they oozed out of you. You pushed the soul back and then tugged it forward, spinning yourself as the two of you danced. The song was coming to a close, you could feel it in your bones, and the two of you put distance in between the both of you as the last chord sprang from your phone. 

You panted heavily, the emotions searing through you like hungry flames. Your soul seemed to agree with the sudden stop, tapping on your chest twice before disappearing into your body, leaving you alone in the room again. But you were not alone, you thought as you tapped to the tune of your heartbeat, banging like a hammer as you stepped towards your phone. You checked the battery life and grabbed your charger, bringing it downstairs with you as you went. 

Familiar knocks sounded from your front door just after you plugged your phone into an outlet in your kitchen. Your smile edged away from the forlorn variety and became energetic once more as you skipped over to the door, feeling more like a child than the adult you were. Your hands clasped the knob and you whisked the door open, smiling down at your ghostly friend as he placed his sad eyes on you. You brushed off to the side, silently inviting him before remembering your manners. Your soul and you had become so close that you had forgotten that not everyone can communicate without words. 

"Come in, Napstablook! Are you here to see your mannequin?" The ghost bobbed his head, headphones jostling slightly. You shut the door behind him and watched as he flitted up your stairs without actually touching them. 

He was close, and everyone could tell. He didn't want to try and fuse until after Alphys arrived back home from the Underground in case something went awry, the body already having an almost full range of motion now. He could even blink! You were excited for your monster friend, feeling slightly nostalgic as you remembered the light in his eyes when you first presented the mannequin to him. You still saw it whenever he gazed upon the body, or rather, himself, but the absolute wonder and delight still sparked your nerves when you thought of the happy memory. 

You waited by the door until you saw him start don the stairs. Napstablook no longer had to hover, his body moving similar to yours would as it plodded down the stairs. His knees bent and so did his elbows when he reached for the railing. You allowed yourself a soft intake of breath as he missed a step, releasing it when he righted himself. An eased smile worked onto his face, and you found yourself grinning wildly. His lips even moved! 

He reached the bottom of the stairs without another hitch, arms moving around you to test their motion and to display a sign of affection. His whispered "Thank you" brushed by your ear as he made his way out the door, fingers grasping tightly onto the metal doorknob before pulling the door shut. Even his fingers moved! Pride for your friend ran through you in waves as you made your way back into your kitchen, not questioning how a mannequin could achieve as much motion as you had. Monster magic, you decided with a gleeful grin. 

You plopped into your seat after pulling the chair out, settling comfortably and closing your eyes. It was six twelve, and you had plenty of time to do absolutely nothing. If your soul was up to it, maybe later the two of you would engage in another dance session, but for right now you were content in doing nothing. Your phone buzzed off to the side, and you ignored it the first couple of times until you opened one eye and saw it looked ready to fall off the counter where it had been placed. 

You slid out of your seat and caught the device just as it began its descent to the ground. The charger cable would have ensured that it would not crash to the ground, but you didn't want to chance it. You leaned with your hip resting against the counter, scrolling through the notifications. 

**Missed call from THE GREAT AND MAGNIFICENT PAPYRUS 6:16** Your voice began to fill the otherwise quiet kitchen as you unlocked your phone and searched through your contacts to call Papyrus back. You'd previously assumed you knew the words to "The Killing Type" by Amanda Palmer well enough to sing them without warning, and you were right. You felt your soul churn within you in response to the beloved tune. You quieted just as the phone clicked and a voice began to hammer into your eardrums. "HUMAN!" You moved the phone away from your ear quickly, wondering when the boisterous skeleton had gotten so loud. 

"Yeah, Pap?" The song you had started threatened to spill from your lips as lyrics swam in your mind and the beat sent your hips shaking. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING TODAY?" His voice cracked from the other end, and a harsh hiss sounded from the background. His voice, now noticeably quieter, came through again. "The Great Papyrus could not remember if you have off today or tomorrow." You assured him that you had today off. A voice came from the other end, muffled and the words distorted, but your soul began to thrum loudly from within. Papyrus spoke to Sans for a few seconds before speaking into the phone again. "We think it would be best if you came over." 

Papyrus tried to explain souls and how they appeared in monsters, but you told him that you already knew all of the information he was trying to give you. He seemed relieved at that, telling you the less time that you both wasted the better. He told you that Sans' soul had begun to act strange, rejecting him but not enough to cut off any life-essential things. It explained why you hadn't felt anything coming from your soul. Papyrus told you that Sans had requested that he call you, "S-Sans told me that you would know what to do, Human." You didn't, but your soul did. "Should I come to pick you up?" 

You'd never been to their house before, settling for meeting them anywhere but. You'd known them for two years, and you hadn't been to their home once. To say the offer peaked your interest was an understatement. "Yeah, sure. What time can I expect you?" Papyrus assured you that he would arrive within the hour if the rain did not hinder him further, and you wandered over to your front door, after unplugging your phone, and saw that it was indeed raining again. Before either of you hung up, a low groan could be heard from his location. Sans practically begged Papyrus to hand him the phone. From the shuffling sounds that came through, you could tell Papyrus had obliged. 

"*hey." Sans sounded weak, and your heart, or perhaps your soul, yearned to heal him. When you responded in a similar word, a puff of air could be heard as he exhaled, already sounding slightly better. You asked him what was up, and he quickly responded, "*i need to see you." It hadn't answered your question, but you picked up on the answer. "Brother, perhaps I should get started to bring her sooner?" Papyrus asked, and Sans bid you farewell and you did the same to him. 

Silence permeated through your home after you had shut your phone off. Your soul's previous jovial feelings had died out with Papyrus' call, weighing you down with the immense grief it felt. You felt a twang of pain as it took out its sadness on you, causing your hand to fly up, phone thunking against your chest, to pat the soft cloth above your heart. "Calm down, it's okay," Your soul very pointedly told you that no, it was not okay. You nearly ran into your kitchen and plugged your phone back in, rushing up the stairs soon after. Your soul directed your choice of clothing, a comfortable gray sweater and baggy jeans, and almost literally pushed you into the shower. 

You scrubbed at your hair, skin, and eventually teeth, making yourself pristine for a reason you didn't know. Your soul urged you regardless, guiding your movements as you brushed through your locks and exited the bathroom. You began to sing softly to your soul, which felt as though it were preparing to ball itself up, but a flash of rejection surged through you and your lips sealed shut. Your clothes dragged against the steps as you jumped down them, pulling on your sneakers before careening into the kitchen. You picked up your phone, and shoved your charger in your pants pocket. The box didn't fit, and it looked awkward anyway, so you decided that you would be fine without the charger, tossing it out onto the counter. 

You wandered over to your front door, peeking out the windows anxiously until you finally spotted Papyrus' car pulling up. Hair still wet, skin still damp, you raced out of your home, locking the door as it shut behind you. Your movements were not guided by your soul this time, your genuine worry for Sans clouding over you as you threw open the passenger door and jumped in. The door slammed shut, and Papyrus peeled out of your driveway before you could even click in the seat belt. "How bad is it?" You asked after you were secured in your seat. 

Papyrus slowed himself so he was not flying down the asphalt, but you two were still going fast. In the heavy rain, those digits that displayed your speed spelled out danger, but you could care less. "HE IS WEAK! MONSTERS DO NOT GET SICK VERY OFTEN, BUT IT IS USUALLY MILDER THAN THIS." You smiled as Papyrus glanced at you worriedly, hoping to assuage some of his fears. "IT IS ONLY SLIGHTLY WORSE THAN WHAT YOU HUMANS FEEL WHEN YOU GET THE FLU, BUT OUR IMMUNE SYSTEMS ARE NOT USED TO SUCH THINGS." You nodded at that. "HE..SANS DID LOOK BETTER EARLIER," You focused on the road ahead of you as the houses whipped by. "AFTER THE TWO OF YOU SPOKE." 

You sat back in your seat a bit more at that declaration, which sounded almost like an accusation coming from Papyrus. You idly wondered why your soul had been fine, and it immediately flared at the notion you presented. Of course it cared as much for Sans' soul as his did for it! You bit back a pained grunt as your soul began to lash out violently, poking at you with vicious emotions for even entertaining the thought. 

If Papyrus noticed your grimace, he made no mention of it. His phalanges tightened around the steering wheel and he leaned forward, as if he was helping the car go faster. You began to shake as your soul's light flashed behind closed eyelids, trying to calm down the hurt being as best you could. We'll be there soon, you tried, but it didn't work. Still, you repeated that, not even looking up as the car made a hard left, tires squealing and the sound of water splashing overtaking the vehicle for a quick moment. The seconds passed as quickly as they came, but you could not dislodge your soul from where it had caught in your throat. 

You gulped loudly, fingers massaging at your tender flesh as you forced air into your throat. Fear drenched you, what if your soul tried to kill you again? Sans was likely too weak to help you this time. Your throat continued to allow oxygen to pass through its tunnels, your soul not trying to suffocate you. Your eyes opened, tears glassing them, and you spotted a large-ish home a few houses away. From what you could see, a large skeleton was waiting for someone on the steps, and your soul began to thrum frantically. From within, you could hear it begin to hum the tune of Chumbawamba's "Tubthumping", a smile of pure relief drifting over your features as your soul flickered from anger to anxiety. It wasn't a large step up, but you could breathe a lot easier now. 

You studied the home as Papyrus drove towards it. From what you could see, it was a dull cream color with a gray roof. The door was a pale maroon from what you could see behind Sans, and there were a few windows at the front of the home. The front yard was a pale greenish yellow, full of dying grass, similar to your own yard. A garage was attached to the immediate left of the house, and it looked like a smaller version of the house. Papyrus pulled into the driveway swiftly, but before you could reach for the door, it was yanked open for you. 

You hadn't even seen Sans move from his place on the front steps, but he filled your vision quickly as he scooped you out of the car and gathered you in his arms to press you against his soaked jacket. Wetness permeated your clothing unpleasantly, but you found yourself shrugging it off to wrap your arms around him. You shut the car door and he buried his face in against yours after lifting you up, the world crashing down around you in rapid tears as the clouds released their sorrow. 

Your soul told you to speak, and so you did. You whispered and groaned to him, no actual words coming out. You could feel his weak grip on you tighten as his strength built, tightness constricting your chest until you realized your soul was screaming to be set free, pounding against its confines. You pulled away from Sans, your feet touching the ground momentarily before he scooped you back into his arms. Papyrus, who had been watching closely from his side of the car, shuffled over to the front door and pushed it open. 

Hefting you up, Sans carried you, his left arm tucked under your legs and his right supporting your back from behind, into his shared home. The three of you were dripping, but if either of the skelebros cared, they didn't show it. Papyrus, immensely relieved to see Sans already working back towards his full health, wandered into the kitchen. "I'M GOING TO MAKE CELEBRATORY SPAGHETTI! THE CAKE KIND!" 

"*k." Sans' eyes were on you, and only you, as he walked away from the front door. You brought your arms in front of you, closing a hand over your heart and going through the now familiar motion of bringing your soul out. Sans grunted when he saw the color in his peripherals, but kept his eyes trained on your face. You, in turn, did not break the eye contact either. Your soul flitted about, pressing against Sans in an attempt to force him to bring out his. 

Sans felt as though you were the most luxurious of pleasures in that moment, his magic flowing freely and his chest no longer heavy. He kicked open the last door in the hall connected to the living room, which had been left slightly ajar so he could do just that when he came back. He decided then and there that you were his soul's mate, but you were his soulmate. 

Intimacy sparked through you as your soul picked up on his emotion, relaying the information through similar emotions. You snuggled against him, breaking eye contact to press deeper into his soaked jacket. He rested you on his bed gently, standing and unzipping his jacket before diving his hand through his shirt collar, pressing a fist to his chest. He wanted to tell you how much you meant to him, how miserable he was with having to settle for just texts, but his words failed him. "*i need our souls to join." 

You looked up at him, elbows digging into the mattress as you supported your weight, and waited for him to explain. Your soul flitted crazily now, picking up on his meaning and preparing to engage in what some might call "Soul Sex". It passed the information over to you, and you found yourself blushing heavily. The two of you weren't even dating! His voice cracked through the air once again, as he let out a desperate, "*please." 

Your soul shimmied about, playfully flicking at the air in barely suppressed desire. You and Sans stayed like that for a few minutes, him with a first clenched to his rib cage and you staring up at him. He felt ready to burst, his soul threatening to reject him fully again if you did not allow this. "*it's not permanent," 

"I know." You surprised yourself with that declaration because you, in fact, did not know. 

"*we do need to give each other a piece of our souls, though," 

"And that is permanent." He nodded. You looked into his pupils once more, your soul berating you for keeping a sick man waiting, but you eventually nodded yourself. The small pop of a soul emerging from its prison echoed in the room, in Sans' room, and before he could fully pull his fist from inside his shirt, the blue heart raced out to go to your green one. 

He studied you from your position on his bed, your soul hesitating beside you. It sensed what you wanted, and urged you to act on your desire, wanting you to feel as much pleasure by what would happen next as you could. You rose to your feet, digging in your pockets for your phone. Sans' soul cooed softly to yours, understanding that it wanted to wait for whatever you would do next. Sans waited, fingers trembling slightly from where they were suspended at his side. 

The two auras of your souls brushed against each other as you pulled YouTube up on your phone. The colors mixed in a brilliant display that mocked a sunrise as teal shone and dominated over all other colors within the small room. You scrolled through your history and selected a song at random, placing the phone on the bed as your souls began to fuse. 

Pain seared through you both as parts of your souls began to come apart and the cartoon hearts congealed into one significantly larger greenish blue one. Had you been looking, you would have noted that the color was the most beautiful one you had ever seen, and the sight was the most spectacular sight you had ever seen, but your eyes were not on the traitorous souls that continued to assault your body with phantom pain. 

No, you were focused on the skeleton in front of you, your arms lifting to invite him in an embrace. He moved silently, and the two of you began to dance to The Dresden Dolls' "Coin Operated Boy", your souls dancing with one another on the side. The two of you danced until the ghostly voices died out, until the pain no longer bothered either of you, and long after the song had ended and the rich smell of tomato sauce carried through the closed door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whenever I type the word "Shimmied", I think about JackSepticEye's "A-shimmy-shammy-a-shimmy-shammy" and I cannot deal with this


	20. *we should get a cat, too

The two of you stayed poised like that for some time, your bodies entwined almost as intimately as your souls to the far right, but while they were dancing, you and Sans had stopped. Passion and happiness slid over your heart like the raindrops that had previously tried to cling to your skin, your damp clothing a reminder of their fair attempts. You smiled at Sans, and for the first time in a long time, he could enjoy it without worrying about his soul trying to capture yours. 

He cast a glance over to the joined hearts, which were currently twirling to unheard music, twitching his gaze back to you. The pain had subsided a great deal, the only reminder being a dull ache that ebbed away at his happiness slightly. You looked content, obviously approving of your own decision to allow his soul to partner with yours. Papyrus had called for you both some time earlier, but your souls hadn't disengaged from one another then, and he wouldn't just reveal the intimate pairing to his younger brother. Papyrus had no doubt been exposed to something similar, but Sans held onto the hopes that his brother was at least slightly innocent. 

He was not. Papyrus had been prone to abandoning his pasta masterpiece in favor of resting by Sans' bedroom door for minutes at a time, only wandering back to the kitchen when he knew he had to check on the lasagna. Even before the teal light shone from beneath the door and through the cracks, he had known what was going on. Similarly, he had also known what problem had been plaguing Sans well before the stockier skeleton had asked him to call you, being to weak to do it himself. He had known that the two of you were soulmates well before this day had fallen upon the calendar. Papyrus was oblivious to most things that were not spaghetti, but most things did not include Sans. 

He had observed the fire in his brother's eyes after Sans had come crashing home, you having left. He had heard those conversations, Sans' laughter bouncing off the walls and echoing through the home even if he tried to be quiet. He had witnessed his brother's fury after you had cut off contact, had seen Sans grow frantic and bags darken beneath his sockets, he had seen everything. Papyrus fancied the idea that he picked up on your relationship before either of you did. 

He had seen it a long time ago. The first time he had, though, if he recalled correctly, was a month or two prior. Sans had been absent the entire day, not an unusual occurrence but when he came stumbling through the door, drunk with laughter and canine related puns sailing out of his mouth, which he promised to tell you, Papyrus had seen it. His own soul had clenched in his chest as his brother tromped through their shared home gaily, and had seen it since. He felt the emotion as it almost radiated off of Sans, had heard your name come from Sans' teeth more often than not, had suffered through the puns and pick up lines Sans was working on for you. 

Papyrus had indulged in laughter with his brother when Sans chose to talk about some of your encounters, which happened more frequently as the days and weeks dragged by. He didn't need to see you shake and tremble in his car to know that you felt the same. 

The only thing Papyrus had been unsure of was why you two were denying yourselves each others company. It was an apparent theme for the both of you, Sans leaving before he could make a move to further the relationship, and you bailing out before anything could happen. In a few ways, he was glad his brother had gotten sick. The foolishness that dribbled off of both of your actions was perplexing and ridiculous, and if it took Sans' soul reacting violently to move passed it, then he was fine with it. 

Papyrus rose from his seated position, his spine sliding up the wall, and he walked back over to his pasta. He had placed it back in the oven after you two had not come out initially after his call, figuring you two would be spending some time in his brother's room. He thought about his own soul, imagining his soulmate would be robotic and beautiful and a star. 

Your lips moved on their own accord as you breathed out your odd concern, which sounded almost comical now. "We're not even dating, and look at what we're doing," You sent a wayward glance to the joined souls, which stopped briefly at your words but continued on shortly after they had stopped. "Scandalous, absolutely scandalous." You turned back to Sans, a playful smile toying at your lips as you arched a brow at his own expression, which was laden with something you could only describe as confusion. 

"*wanna hear a pick up line?" You laughed at that, deciding to reply in the affirmative for once. "*if i said i've _fall_ en hard for you, would you think it unbe _leaf_ able?" Your hands dragged from his shoulders to push him away lightly as you reminded him that it was Winter. "*hard to tell. the weather isn't betraying the fact." 

You smiled and leaned forward, a mischievous smirk melting away the playful smile. "You're so breathtaking, it's unbe _breathe_ able." Your souls flared at that, and you had a feeling that had they been another set, they would have rejected yours completely. Instead, a deep laughter filled the room, and Sans pulled you close. His arms wrapped around your shoulders in a tight embrace, his laughter shaking your body and turning your heart to goo. 

"*you must be _smoke_ because baby, _you're so hot i can't breathe when you're around_." 

"Are you a parking ticket? You've got _fine_ written all over you." 

"*i must be a Balloon Bellied Molly because i can't help but _Looks_ at you." 

"Did you just come out of the oven? Because you're _hot_." 

"*i know Pap's making food, but i think i'd prefer a different menu. as in _me 'n u_." 

"I wish I had my library card, because I want to _check you out_." 

"*life without you is a broken pencil. _pointless_." 

The two of you were engaged in an actual pick up line war, now. It was crazy. 

"Something's wrong with my eyes, I _can't take them off of you_." 

"*you're so sweet, you're giving me a _toothache_." 

"If you were a chicken, you'd be im _peck_ able." 

"STOP!" Papyrus, who had continued to eavesdrop after checking back on the lasagna, could take no more. He crashed through the door, his arms waving frantically in the air. "THIS IS RIDICULOUS."

"*you're ridiculous," Papyrus glared at his brother, pointedly ignoring the large cartoon heart that was still twirling around beside him. 

You turned away from Papyrus to whisper to Sans, "Hey, d'you like raisins? How would you feel if I gave you a _date_ instead?" Papyrus, who had trained his hardened glare on you, jumped giddily at the awfully executed joke. 

"*depends, feel my jacket for a second." You did as he asked. "*it feel like _boyfriend material_ to you?" 

You tapped your chin as if in thought before shaking your head. "No, it feels more like soul _mate_ rial to me." Papyrus groaned loudly, but the soft grin on his features refused to leave. 

"*it's settled. i'm destined Dobe _ur_ man." He beamed happily at that, not sure whether or not he could create a new canine related pun. Nope, he's still got it, if your loud groan was anything to go by. His hand fished around for yours, entwining his fingers with yours. You smiled at the shared contact before looking over to your joined souls. It would be oddly disrespectful to both of the souls, as well as you and Sans, if you beckoned to them as if they were disobedient dogs. You were at a loss for what to do momentarily before both souls picked up on your want to leave the room. 

The souls having successfully joined, each had one had small flecks of the others colors dotting along the edges, allowing them to feel emotions from both you and Sans, although to a lesser degree for the owner who was originally not theirs. The hearts reluctantly separated and closed the distance between you, Sans, and them slowly. You studied both of them as they went. 

Sans' soul was freckled with bits of yours, although it was more of a light dusting that had been embedded into it. It was decorated in the lush green yours radiated, though the blue color still dominated. You had to squint to see the green in his soul, but it was there nonetheless. You scanned over your soul, which revealed similar findings, speckles of cobalt littering the surface, but you knew the colors were planted firmly in your soul, now. The blue showed up a bit more on the dominant green background, but not by much. 

Your soul flashed to your chest, disappearing in you with a vibrant glow. From your peripherals, you could see Sans' doing the same. You held your chest with your free hand for a bit longer before looking up at your skeletal..boyfriend? Yeah. Boyfriend. Your smile brightened at the thought, and you could feel your soul surge with delight. You imagined Sans was feeling something similar, now, being so intimately tied with you, he could feel your emotions and thoughts. He had to concentrate on it, as the joining had not given him the same understanding you and your soul had, not even close, but it was there. 

Sans tightened his hold on your hand. Yeah, he could feel it. 

As the three of you walked out of the room, Papyrus charged towards his lasagna, and you leaned into Sans slightly. "Will it hurt every time?" You remembered the pain, which had been unbearable in a way that was completely bearable. It didn't make sense, but you wanted to define that shock of pain before it fell into the category indescribable Sans seemed to love to expand. "*yeah." 

He was elated, your question made it sound like you wanted to join with him again. "*each time, we give each other more and more of our souls." 

You thought about that. "What happens when there's nothing left to give?" 

He turned his gaze onto you, a sincere and fond light taking over his features and giving him that breathtaking aura that you had spoken about previously. It was so captivating, you barely heard what he said, missing out on the first couple of words. "*...each others souls, but by then, our souls are connected enough to be our own. they start to repeat the process all over again." 

You filled in the blanks. You two would eventually get rid of your entire souls, bearing them to one another in a display that was so incredibly intimate that it stung at your heart in a twisted and pleasureful way. You would then begin to give those parts back, them having morphed into parts of you. It didn't make as much sense as you would have liked, but it had a description, and that worked for you. You pulled him into the kitchen, satisfied with the fact that both of you were fine and well, and Sans was no longer sick. You wondered if, when all the green had disappeared from your soul and the color sank into his, would you be able to feel Sans' thoughts and emotions as though they were your own? 

The thought had you smiling. "So, you mentioned a Doberman?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All these puns are _krill_ ing me ;l


	21. We are so getting a cat

You charged into the store immediately after jumping out of your car, racing through the isles and storming through the rows of cages as you went. Sans was stunned out of his perpetual laziness again, as was custom in your company, as he tried to match your pace. For being the shorter of the two, you certainly could move fast. 

The phone in your hand was trembling as you held it tightly, the last text thread you had opened flashing for all who could see. Which was virtually nobody, you were moving much too fast. The store was empty, as it was scheduled to close within the next few minutes, but where quiet had reigned, your flurried footsteps took over without warning. Sleepy animals roused gently, but seeing the energy that surrounded you, they were quick to open their eyes and sleep the last vestiges of sleep from them. Dogs yipped, cats meowed, insects buzzed and fish blubbed. None of these sounds were louder than your footsteps, however. 

You took a short glance at Sans, who had moved to a light jog to try and keep up with you, and smiled at him. The two of you had been together for quite some time, the ring adorning your left hand proving this fact, as if anyone who saw the two of you could doubt it. Your soul, peppered with more blue than green, shone brightly from where it was caught up in your jacket. You darted around several corners and bends, your body gracefully sliding down the linoleum floors like the expert you were. 

Finally, you stopped. In front of you stood a cage that had a single mewling Tortoiseshell, the kitten stopping its cries to peer up at you. You smiled wistfully at the cage, where the name "Max" had been scratched out. You remembered both putting it there when it seemed the old cat would never leave the store, and scratching it off when he left this world. It still hurt, a damned lot actually, but you were ready to face those metal bars again. 

The kitten looking up at you and sticking a tiny paw through the spaces in between those bars was young, coming in at hardly three months of age. You unlatched the cage mechanically, scooping the eager kitten out and pressing your fingernails to its skull immediately, scratching at the already purring cat. You held it gently, ignoring the device you had forgotten to throw in your pocket as tiny paws tickled at the screen. You held the kitten close to you, intense emotions, of which were likely sending shock waves through your husband, pouring from you. 

You were sad, you were giddy, you were a bundle of confusing emotions pressed into a single spur of nostalgia-filled happiness. The cat felt almost like its male calico counterpart, pressing against you in a way similar to what Max had been prone to in his last few months. You glanced over your shoulder as Sans finally arrived by your side, sweat dripping down his skull and onto the floor from his mandible. His hand, which was placed over his heart, clutched at his jacket as he tried to push air he didn't need into his lungs. You smiled boldly at him, and he grimaced playfully. 

"*is this her?" You nodded, turning back to the kitten. He pressed closer to you, extending a hand and scratching a few phalanges along the over stimulated kitten. "*hey there, Delilah, what's shaking?" A flash of sadness warmed over you from the familiar phrase, but you pushed it back. The kitten was in heaven, your fingers and Sans' sharp-tipped phalanges skyrocketing her over the edge. 

The two of you had decided not to go for pun-related names for Reggie Jr, and it was only fair not to do the same for the cat you had coveted since the day you helped its mother birth it. And here she was. "I wish this _mew_ ment would last forever," You sighed, content. Just because you had decided not to create clever and downright hilarious names did not mean you denied your calling as a Pun Master. 

You set the cat in Sans' arms and shut the cage door, turning and marching towards the puppy aisle dutifully. The two of you had stocked up on cat food and supplies the day you had first spotted the small kitten, so you had only one thing left to do in your old store. "*let's not pro _cat_ stinate this any further," Sans had told you that morning with a wink. Reggie Jr was lonely, and you had a feeling that, while she was an absolute darling, Delilah would not provide the company the German Shepard so desperately sought out. Sans had suggested that mystical _Labracadabrador_ that you had seemed so eager to have nearly a decade prior, but you were determined for something else. 

Besides, knowing you, you'd likely get both a Labrador and what you had in mind. You arrived at the cages, a smirk tugging at your lips, the bottom of which had gone untouched by your teeth for quite some time. Your soul burned lightly as you looked into each of the cages, searching. 

Your souls had been swapped more times than you care to count. In your earlier years with Sans, when neither of you had to worry about your furry child mucking about the house, the two of you had joined souls enough to swap them entirely, and several times. Sometimes you had your full soul back, but it never had lasted more than a few hours before you partook in the soul joining again. The two of you were, and still are, absolutely ravenous about each other. Neither of you could quite get enough of the other, not that the other minded. 

Ah, spotted! You squatted to the cage closest to the floor, looking into the dark brown eyes of an equally dark brown dog. While it was not the breed you were looking for initially, you would settle until you saw what you wanted. You unlatched the cage, grinning as the puppy plodded out of the cage and towards you. The chocolate lab bounced into your arms, your face becoming a playground for its tongue as it greeted you. You looked up at Sans, who was smiling down at you, Delilah atop his shoulder now. "His name is _Sweet Tooth_." You declared, and you watched as his pupils flickered with glee. 

Finally, a name he could use to frazzle his brother's nerves. You stood and picked out one of the collars, "He's about to get a new _leash_ on life," You giggled, clipping it around Sweet Tooth's neck to see how it fit. It fit like a dream. You picked up a leash and clipped that into the metal ring on the collar, handing it to a now confused Sans. You began to search along the animals, wishing you could take each of them home. 

Finally, you saw it. It was sitting there, towards the back of one of the cages, almost going unseen by your trained eye. You unlatched the door and stretched your hand into the cage after pulling the door open, waiting for the puppy to move forward. It did, after a few minutes. The Shiba Inu's paws clicked against the plastic floor as it slowly moved forward, shyly sniffing your hand before giving it an experimental lick. 

It rubbed its muzzle against your fingers, and you ran them along its head to scratch behind his ears. 

You remembered that day, when the two of you had been brought closer by the power of puns. You remembered the pun he parted with, it finding a special home in your heart, and this cute little dog was finding a home right next to it. You guided the pup out from the cage it hid in, murmuring encouragement all the while. Sans regarded you quietly, his confusion furthering as the tiny fox-like puppy exited the cage. You sat cross legged, and the puppy scrambled into your lap. Your phone clattered on the phone as you pressed both hands into the soft fur, its tail wagging gently. 

Without looking up from the dog, you asked, "What do you want to name him?" He had named Reggie Jr, and you had named both Delilah and now Sweet Tooth. It seemed only fair that he would get to name the other one. Sans reached up, fingers idly scratching at the kitten that was perched on his shoulder, peering curiously at the two new furry friends below. "*huh. i don't know. another pun?" You told him that if he wanted to, he could. 

"*nah. i'm gonna name it Doge." You scowled up at him, your hands still working magic on the tiny dog below your fingertips. He met your gaze without hesitation, smirking as he felt you begin to cave in. "You're so dumb," You shook your head, reaching one of your hands away from Doge to extend to him, waiting for him to place a leash and collar in your grasp. Which he did. 

He placed a black, bone decorated collar into your palm, a plain red leash following. "*yeah, but i'm your so dumb." You began to stand, Doge falling from your lap after you secured the collar and leash. Shutting both his and Sweet Tooth's cage doors, you took the other leash and began to start towards the checkout counter, dashing back only to grab at your phone, which you had nearly left sitting on the floor. You passed Max and Delilah's old cage, a mix between excitement and sadness filling you briefly before you continued passed. 

A young girl, one who couldn't have been more than sixteen, was leaning against the register slightly. Her snores filled the air once you and Sans got close enough, and you smiled at Sans fondly. Sleeping on the job, remind you of someone? His gaze flickered to you as he heard your thought, his grin stretching. You turned back to the girl, reaching out to shake her lightly. Before you could touch her, she jerked awake fast enough that you were sure she gave herself whiplash. "I'm awake!" Her azure eyes darted around almost comically, and you waited for her to finish, a friendly smile painting across your features all the while. 

From where you stood, you could very clearly see the corner Reggie had spent his last hours in. He had passed quietly, and you were assured happily, as you had been away for your honeymoon at the time fate reaped you of yet another old furry friend. You kept your gaze trained forward, ignoring the almost haunting visage in your peripherals. 

When she saw that you were not her boss, and your former one, she calmed monumentally. She began to ring you up for the two collars, two leashes, two puppies, and single kitten. It was a hefty total, but you didn't mind. Sans handed the money over before you could reach around for your wallet, and you rolled your eyes happily. He told her to keep the change after she handed it back, causing her a little trouble but the smile on his face seemed to wash away the mild irritation. Within seconds, the two of you were making your way out of the store. 

As the five of you secured your seats in your car, which you had happily sold your Ferrari 458 Spider to make room for, you couldn't bite back the ecstatic grin that took over your features. From the rear view mirror, three furry faces poked out from behind two cages, strapped into the back seats securely. Doge and Sweet Tooth were small enough that they fit easily into the one, and Delilah looked almost lonely in her too-big space. 

Sans pulled away from the store, which you sent a wistful glance to as it sped by, grasping your hand in his once the car was moving down the road. Your soul thudded in your chest and you reclined in your seat for the short ride. You were excited to show off your new family members to your neighbors, Undyne and Alphys on your left, Papyrus on your right. You closed your eyes, a surge of cheer tickling your heart and cradling your soul. 

You opened an eye to glance at your phone, which had begun to vibrate to notify you of its depleting battery, having been on for nearly two hours now. The message that had thrilled you and fueled your excitement still sent electric bolts of elation to rock your body powerfully as you stared at the message, clicking your phone off after staring at it too long, the words that your former boss had typed out and sent still burning in your mind. 

**-Delilah is ready to come home, now-**

You had finally gotten that puppy you wanted, and two more. A kitten, too. You sighed, the sound dripping with bliss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not crying.   
> You're crying.   
> Hush. 
> 
> _One more_


	22. I had a puppy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sad? Sad.

Sans moved forward, tucking your hair behind your ear. His hands lingered against your face, and you pressed against them fondly. Your breath felt heavy with every exhale, and the air that swept through you felt nonexistent. Your skin shuddered with a cold that was not there, you having been transferred over to by the hearth. Flames flickered an arms length away, but their warmth did not reach you. 

Your hands clasped around more collars than you could hold, switching between each one to squeeze them lovingly before moving to the next. Your eyelids were too heavy, and you could not open them if you tried. Your lips felt heavy, but you fought to keep the trembling flesh in place, your features freezing in a tight smile. The blankets were soft beneath you, caressing your aged skin with every movement around you. 

You were surrounded. Monster's, as you found out, lived much longer than humans could ever hope to. But they aged, as made evident by Undyne's graying ponytail, Papyrus' creaky bones, Woshua's heavy sighs, and the heavy skin that sat on everyone's frames. Your lips parted as you sucked the air heavily, fingers tracing over the frayed bone patterns you knew to be embedded in the collar currently in your hands. You dropped it and grabbed the next one on your lap. 

The fabric licked at your skin as you pressed deep patterns into them. You didn't need to open your eyes to know this had belonged to the Great Dane that Papyrus had fondly named The Great Duke, or GD for short. Tears pressed at the corners of your eyes, but they did not release. You could hear the storm outside, the skies weeping in place of you. Their tears completing the poetic injustice that came with the lack of your own. You released another breath. 

Two hands clutched at your left, the bones sliding over your skin. You opened your eyes, lolling your head to the side, away from Sans, to look into the weary eyes that belonged to an elderly Papyrus. His soft smile was dampened with sorrow, and you felt your weak soul tossing in your chest. His glasses, sides taped to the sides of his skull to keep them in place, were foggy. You could hardly see his pupils shining out from the cloudy glass, but they were there. 

He had no words, he did not need to speak. While your souls were not connected in the same way Sans' and yours were, you could still feel his emotions as they shot through the air. You smiled weakly at him, your eyes wandering over to all of your friends. 

A few were missing, some of them being much older than the others. Your heart seized as you thought of one of the friends who was missing, Alphys having passed nearly two decades earlier. Sans began to brush his fingers against your hair and cheek, trying to alleviate the mourning that had begun to spread at the thought of your lost friend. Your smile, which had fallen, lifted back up. Your hands still fumbled with the variety of collars, but you were less sure in your movements. 

Undyne hung back while the others drew closer, your final minutes dawning. Your soul could feel them as they ticked by, and you wondered if you would be this knowledgeable without the helpful second heart. You turned your head away from Papyrus, facing the ceiling. You were in your home, the one you and Sans had shared for decades. The tiles above you were not unfamiliar, but you found yourself tracing new patterns regardless. 

No one spoke for the longest time, and your breaths grew heavier. You could hear human children playing in the other room, most likely the kitchen. The soft pounding of monster children came a bit later, the door opening as mothers guided their offspring away from the offending droplets that threatened to bring them illness. You settled further into the cushions below your head, the almost absent warmth bleeding from you even further. 

Your fingers smushed together as you sought out your ring finger. Finding it, your other hand left the collars aside and you began to rub against the ring on your forth finger. You could make out the grinning skull as if you were reading braille, a skill you had picked up during your long and happy life. You brushed your index and middle finger to the side, finding the two hearts that sat on either side of the skull. The left, you knew, was a brilliant sapphire, and the right a shimmering emerald. 

Sans watched you with a great deal of sadness. Trying to ward away the feelings so you would not pick up on them, he thought about his life. He figured he had another dog's life left in him, and decided he would buy another puppy. Names and breeds tickled behind his sockets before resting upon a German Shepard who he would name Reggie III. Tears welled up in his sockets, but he forced them back as he looked into Papyrus'. 

Your head felt heavy. Everything felt heavy. You cut off the invisible drawings as you pressed your eyes shut, and you released your hold on the ring to slide your hand above your faint heartbeat, a closed fist dragging away from your body. Your soul exited with a weak pop, and Sans immediately moved to grasp it. He held the greener-than-blue heart close to him, his own soul dragging out from its place to brush against yours. But the two did not join. 

Your shoulders slumped into the blanket as you began to feel yourself slip. Feeling nostalgic, your voice crackled in the air, startling all those around. "Sans, tell me a joke?" 

You had uttered those words many times during your marriage, and even before. Sans remembered when you had run off on him, but he remembered the times spent snuggling with you in bed more. He shook with the memories as they dragged to the forefront of his mind, and he sat back, heel of his right palm digging into the wood of the floor lightly. "*got a subject in mind, love?" You shook your head. 

"*i want a dog," He repeated those familiar words, the memory not lost in your old mind. He was repeating your words from a long, long time earlier. Your name left his teeth, "*i want a dog, but i need to find out what breed, because that will help me with the name. give me a breed," Your name left his teeth yet again, his voice crinkling with suppressed sadness. "*i know i sound silly, but trust me on this." 

You could not remember what you had said that hazy day so long ago, so you stayed silent. Your breathing began to steady, shallow and your chest barely rising. "*Golden Retriever? i'm going to name it Telephone. it'll be my _Golden Receiver_." No one chuckled at that. Sans bit back a sob. "*terrier? what breed. if we're not being specific here, i'd say i'd name it Halloween, and it'll be absolutely _terrierfying_. but if it's a Yorkshire Terrier you're thinking of," You began to fall deeper into the sleep that was calling for you. Sans could feel it. "*i-i..i think i'll name it _New_." 

He was openly sobbing, now, clutching his ring, which he had slipped from his finger, to his heart. His soul began to ooze painfully, releasing the contents of yours as yours did the same, giving him back his bits. Cobalt tears streaked down his skull, staining the bone. He grasped at your hand and pulled it close, pressing his ring into your hands before resting your hand against him. 

"You should get a poodle, name it _Sham_." You finally said, and even Undyne was losing it. You were surrounded by tears, your skin, clothes, and hair becoming damp as they all dragged closer to hug you one final time. Still, you did not weep. Your life was full of happiness, excitement, and love. 

Your soul let out a sharp pang of pain as it took in all of the green that had left it sometime prior. That pain was great, but not enough to cause you to release your tears. Papyrus' sniffling brought you close, though. 

He knew you were close, now. The others did, too, and clutched you tighter, but not enough that it would hurt you. You exhaled one final time, the last thing you heard being "* _hey, i'll be Shiba Inu later_." Before you surrendered yourself to peaceful dreams of smiling skeletons, terrible jokes, cold grass beneath you, and wind that sent your hair flying into your face. 

You did not feel your soul shatter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys! Thank you all so much for sticking with me! <3 <3 <3! It's been a crazy couple of chapters, huh? 
> 
> I know, it was cruel of me to end it like this. I'm sorry! 3 
> 
> I'll be back next week, a new story in full swing, hopefully! Thank you so much to those who took the time to read and comment, you guys were positively wonderful! Please stay tuned for "Payback"! It'll be coming up soon :) <3 <3 <3!

**Author's Note:**

> Not sorry


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